A 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the state of Sucre, Venezuela, at 3:47 PM local time, killing at least 12 people and injuring more than 100. The tremor, centred near the town of Casanay, flattened dozens of poorly constructed homes and triggered landslides. As aftershocks continue to rattle the region, residents are pointing fingers at a government that they say ignored building codes and delayed emergency response.
Sources on the ground confirm that many of the collapsed structures were built without seismic reinforcements, despite known geological risks. 'We told them for years,' said Maria Guzmán, a Casanay resident whose brother died when his home crumbled. 'The government took our taxes and gave us death.'
Internal documents obtained by this paper reveal that the Ministry of Housing had flagged at least 200 buildings in the region as 'high risk' in 2022 but allocated no funds for reinforcement. The ministry declined to comment, but a former official speaking on condition of anonymity said: 'They knew. The money went elsewhere. It always does.'
Emergency services were criticised for a four-hour delay in reaching the hardest-hit areas. Roads blocked by debris and a lack of heavy equipment hampered rescue efforts. The national government has deployed 500 troops, but locals say it is too little, too late. 'My children are still under the rubble,' sobbed Ana Rodríguez, clutching a dusty photograph. 'They didn't even bring a sniffer dog.'
President Nicolás Maduro has not visited the site. In a televised address, he blamed 'imperialist sabotage' and promised financial aid. But the memory of vanished aid after the 2018 floods haunts survivors. 'We saw the money on TV, but our houses stayed wet,' said union leader Jorge Mendoza.
Geologists warn that aftershocks up to magnitude 5.0 could continue for weeks. Makeshift camps have sprung up in football fields, with families sleeping on concrete floors. A local priest, Father Carlos Salazar, said: 'God didn't do this. Men did, men in suits who counted bricks as pesos.'
The United Nations has offered assistance, but the Venezuelan government has not responded. As night falls, the air smells of dust and gas leaks. A woman screams as another tremor sends a wall sliding. No one runs to help. They just wait, angry and forgotten.
