UNITED STATES PERSPECTIVE

The United States government is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela, where a devastating double earthquake struck on June 24, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5. Twelve days after the disaster, the American press is documenting both the extent of the Venezuelan disaster and the shortcomings of the government's response. According to local authorities cited by NBC News, the death toll has reached 3,535, while ABC News reports 3,685 deaths in its latest updates, with tens of thousands of missing people still being searched for. Approximately 17,000 people are left homeless, 190 buildings have collapsed, and 856 others have been damaged in La Guaira, the epicenter of the destruction.

The US Department of State updated its travel warning on June 27, maintaining Venezuela at level 3, "Reconsider travel," and explicitly adding the earthquakes to the already listed risks: crime, kidnappings, irregular armed groups, and failing health infrastructure. Several areas, including the Colombian border and the state of Amazonas, remain classified as level 4, prohibiting all travel.

On the ground, American coverage emphasizes the sense of abandonment felt by survivors. In La Guaira, families report digging through rubble with their bare hands due to the lack of cranes promised by the state. "It's unfair, it's inhumane," a 26-year-old survivor told ABC News after eleven days of waiting without an official response. The government of interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who declared seven days of national mourning, is being criticized for its handling of the housing crisis, which has been historically politicized in Caracas.

American aid is evident in the background of the reports: in Maiquetía, near the main airport, families are receiving packages marked with the American flag, containing food, water, and hygiene kits, while access to clean drinking water remains a critical issue. The Venezuelan diaspora in the United States, particularly in Florida, is also mobilizing to locate missing relatives, such as a cousin living in Orlando who is searching for his grandparents buried under a seven-story building in Caraballeda.