CARACAS – Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has called on the United States to ease sanctions on the country, arguing that greater access to financial resources is essential to accelerate reconstruction following the devastating twin earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela on June 24.
The appeal comes as the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen. The latest official figures place the death toll above 3,000, while tens of thousands of people remain displaced and large sections of the coastal state of La Guaira continue to struggle with damaged infrastructure, limited access to clean water and temporary shelter.
Rodríguez argued that sanctions restrict the government's ability to freely access financial resources needed for emergency response and reconstruction. She also announced a package of economic measures intended to help revive the economy and support the country's recovery efforts.
At the same time, the disaster response has highlighted an unusual level of cooperation between Caracas and Washington. The United States has deployed personnel, equipment and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela, with American teams participating in rescue and relief operations in La Guaira and supporting logistics at Maiquetía International Airport alongside other international partners.
Rodríguez's request for sanctions relief comes amid growing criticism over the speed of the government's initial emergency response. Survivors, aid organizations and international media have reported delays in rescue operations during the critical first days after the earthquakes, forcing many residents and volunteers to begin searching for survivors with limited equipment before additional assistance arrived. Rodríguez has rejected those criticisms, insisting that emergency protocols were activated immediately and that thousands of officials were deployed to affected areas.
The earthquakes have also renewed debate over Venezuela's infrastructure. While some observers argue that international sanctions have complicated recovery efforts, others point to years of underinvestment, deteriorating public infrastructure, inadequate building standards and governance challenges as factors that may have worsened the scale of the disaster. Those broader claims remain matters of political debate rather than established fact.
As reconstruction begins, international humanitarian organizations estimate that the recovery will require billions of dollars and sustained international support, regardless of any future decisions regarding sanctions.