US deploys 900 troops to Venezuela as earthquake death toll nears 2,000 and families accuse government of neglect

The earthquakes and immediate aftermath

Two powerful earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck Venezuela's Caribbean coast less than a minute apart on 24 June, toppling high-rise buildings and trapping thousands under rubble. The coastal state of La Guaira, particularly the towns of Caraballeda and Catia La Mar, bore the brunt of the destruction. Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez called it "the most brutal natural disaster" in the country's history. The official death toll stands at 1,943, with 10,571 injured, though the UN's resident coordinator Gianluca Rampolla del Tindaro warned the real figure is certainly higher, noting that authorities are acquiring 10,000 body bags.

US military deployment and international aid

In a striking reversal of relations, the US military has established a substantial presence for relief operations. General Francis Donovan, commander of US Southern Command, told Reuters that over 900 personnel are inside Venezuela, with another 800 stationed in Puerto Rico and Curaçao. US Marines were among the first foreign rescuers on the ground, helping dig through rubble and flying in civilian teams, including a group from Fairfax, Virginia, that rescued a mother and her 9-month-old baby. The US has also deployed four or five MQ-9 Reaper drones to provide intelligence on damaged buildings and blocked roads.

“January 3rd's not that long ago. And just think about how this relationship has transitioned.”

The reference is to the US raid that captured former president Nicolás Maduro in January; now the two countries are coordinating on disaster response.

International teams have poured in from more than 30 countries. A 68-strong UK Fire and Rescue Services contingent flew from RAF Brize Norton, including a search dog named Millie on her first overseas mission. Jordanian rescuers pulled a 3-year-old child alive from the rubble on Tuesday. Oxfam launched an emergency appeal, with humanitarian lead Magnus Corfixen describing a "race against time" to deliver aid.

Families' anger at slow government response

In La Guaira, families waiting beside collapsed buildings have voiced fury at what they see as a sluggish official reaction. Miguel Oscar Nunez, whose 34-year-old son Angel is trapped, said:

“My son, like hundreds of others, is trapped under the rubble. But we desperately need more help from the government to evacuate them. The earthquake may not have killed him, but imagine if he dies because of government negligence.”

Kevin Montilla, whose wife and 16-year-old daughter are missing in the same building, told the BBC that rescue operations started late and moved slowly.

“At first only local residents came to help. The police only came to monitor, but didn't help. The government response is very disappointing and powerless.”

The race to find survivors

A week after the quakes, the window for finding survivors is closing. On Monday, 21-year-old Aaron Levi Cantillo Vargas was rescued after 106 hours trapped beneath a collapsed building. But National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said that by the sixth day only one other survivor, the 3-year-old, had been pulled out. The US Geological Survey's PAGER system estimated fatalities could eventually range between 10,000 and 100,000. In the hardest-hit areas, about 30,000 people were present when the quakes hit; 19,861 escaped or were rescued alive, leaving thousands unaccounted for.

Humanitarian situation on the ground

Queues for aid in La Guaira grow longer each day. Private vehicles distribute water, food, and toilet paper, while World Central Kitchen trucks move through the streets.

“Without this I don't know what we would do.”

A volunteer medical team called the "Pink Brigade," with doctors from Mexico, Italy, and El Salvador, is treating high blood pressure, nervous breakdowns, respiratory problems, and dehydration at an improvised shelter on a golf course. Veterinarians have also arrived to care for injured pets.

“I feel guilty about eating, because every time I eat I think there's someone who has nothing to eat.”