Wilmer Rodríguez, a resident of El Dorado in Vargas state, voiced his distress on Thursday over being charged $9,000 to bring in heavy machinery to rescue three family members who remain trapped under debris eight days after a catastrophic double earthquake struck northern Venezuela.
His cousins—Lesbia, her husband Juan Carlos, and Fabiana—are still buried beneath concrete slabs in the El Dorado residence, with no official rescue team having arrived at the site.
"We're being charged $9,000 to bring machinery. No one has come here... I need help to get my cousins out," Rodríguez stated in a testimony shared by the opposition group Vente Venezuela.
The only assistance they've received came from friends who traveled from Caracas, manually removing stones and providing water.
"We are getting no support; we're using our bare hands. Just a shovel, that's all," he lamented.
Rodríguez explained that the daughter of one of his cousins, who survived, attempted to arrange for specialized machinery but was asked for the hefty sum to facilitate its movement.
"Everyone is demanding that amount of money to move a slab and rescue my cousins stuck there. They are human beings," he expressed desperately.
At the time of his statement, none of his three relatives had been found, and Rodríguez was unsure of their survival.
"We need heavy machinery, electric hammers to save my trapped cousins. We don't know if they are [alive], none of the three have been found," he added.
The Aftermath of the Deadly Earthquakes
This situation highlights the neglect faced by hundreds of families in La Guaira, the area hardest hit by the June 24, 2026 earthquakes, where 158 of the 189 completely destroyed buildings across the country are located.
The twin earthquakes—measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, separated by a mere 39 seconds—are regarded as the deadliest natural disaster Venezuela has encountered in the last century.
According to the official report from Nicolás Maduro's regime as of July 1, there were 2,295 deaths and over 11,267 injuries, while the UN estimates up to 50,000 people missing.
Criticism of the Venezuelan Government's Response
The government's response has faced widespread criticism. Official rescuers did not reach some areas until the fifth day following the disaster, according to victim testimonies.
The regime deployed over 14,000 military personnel in the affected regions, restricting access for volunteers and independent civilian teams. This situation was encapsulated by a volunteer's viral comment: "There are more rifles than shovels here."
Adding to the crisis are allegations of corruption: some rescuers demanded food and drink to enter buildings with trapped individuals, and the government canceled a humanitarian flight from Miami on June 30 carrying six rescuers and a nurse.
In this context of state negligence, the $9,000 charge for rescue machinery is an insurmountable obstacle for families like Rodríguez's, as time dwindles for any chance of finding their loved ones alive.
Questions on Venezuela's Earthquake Crisis
What challenges are Venezuelan families facing during the earthquake crisis?
Venezuelan families are facing severe challenges, including exorbitant costs for rescue equipment, lack of official rescue team response, and general neglect from the government amidst widespread destruction.
How has the Venezuelan government responded to the earthquake disaster?
The Venezuelan government's response has been criticized for its delayed arrival of official rescuers, military restrictions on volunteer efforts, and allegations of corruption and resource mismanagement.