Venezuela marks one month since devastating double earthquake, over 5,500 dead

More than 5,500 people have died and nearly 18,000 lost their homes in the double earthquake that struck northern Venezuela on June 24, according to the latest official figures Source: eldiado. The twin tremors of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 triggered a humanitarian crisis that continues to unfold a month later.

Damage and Economic Impact

The Banco Mundial estimated direct physical damage at $19.6 billion, with housing accounting for 47% of the losses Source: portafolioco. Over 8,000 structures have been inspected by engineers, with more than 70% deemed habitable, but about 25% received cautionary or red tags Source: diariolibree. The hardest-hit regions are La Guaira and Caracas, concentrating nearly half the economic damage Source: portafolioco.

Humanitarian Response and Controversies

• International aid, including a Spanish UME canine unit, assisted in search and rescue Source: elconfidencial. The World Food Programme has reached over 100,000 people and aims to help half a million more Source: eldiado.
• However, unofficial citizen registries list nearly 29,500 missing, highlighting a gap in official data Source: euronewses. Families of political prisoners also denounce failures in evacuation protocols, with claims that prisoners were not evacuated promptly and faced mistreatment Source: hoydo.
• In Tucacas, the tourism-dependent economy is paralyzed, and many families remain in tents despite government promises of reconstruction Source: elnacionalve.

Political Context

President Donald Trump stated that Venezuela is "not yet ready for elections" but praised the provisional government of Delcy Rodríguez Source: portafolioco. Meanwhile, the U.S. is exploring ways to unlock frozen Venezuelan assets to fund reconstruction without adding to the American taxpayer burden Source: larepublicaco.