CNN: Venezuela's earthquake crisis delivers first major test for acting president

Two weeks after devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, the disaster has become a major political test for acting President Delcy Rodríguez, exposing public anger over the government's response as the country navigates the aftermath of Nicolás Maduro’s capture six months ago.

Experts interviewed by CNN describe the earthquakes as a pivotal moment for the interim administration, highlighting both its political fragility and the limitations of state institutions in responding to a crisis of such scale.

They note that the government’s future handling of the disaster could significantly shape the country’s political trajectory, while stressing that the role of the United States remains critical because of Washington’s oversight position in Venezuela.

“Delcy Rodríguez is now facing the greatest test of her leadership,” said Imdat Oner, a scholar at Florida International University. “At the same time, public anger is rising over poor management and the slow response. But in authoritarian regimes, crises like this often strengthen those in power.”

According to Oner, Rodríguez may seek to consolidate her position by introducing extraordinary measures in response to the emergency. He suggested that she could use “emergency regulations to centralise her authority, tighten security, and postpone political reforms in the name of stability and reconstruction.”

“The disaster has exposed the weakness of the state,” Oner said, “but in the short term it gives the government more room to hold on to power rather than being forced to relinquish it.”

The earthquakes that struck on June 24 are among the deadliest disasters ever recorded in Venezuela. Official figures show that 3,811 people lost their lives, while more than 16,000 others were injured. Authorities also report that over 17,000 residents have been displaced by the destruction.

The impact has extended far beyond the human toll. Hundreds of structures have suffered damage, and the economic cost of the disaster is estimated at roughly 6% of Venezuela’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Meanwhile, reports from affected areas indicate that rescue and recovery efforts continue to face significant challenges. Numerous eyewitnesses have claimed that the government’s response has fallen short of expectations, with many victims still unaccounted for and others believed to remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

Analysts argue that while an event of this magnitude would strain the resources of any administration, the challenge is particularly acute in Venezuela, where state institutions have been weakened after a quarter-century of governance by political forces aligned with the late President Hugo Chávez.

By Jeyhun Aghazada