‘They only came to take pictures’ — Venezuelans slam govt over quake response

Anger is boiling over in Venezuela as the death toll from twin earthquakes climbs to 1,430, with survivors accusing authorities of a slow, performative rescue effort.

Desperation is turning to rage in Venezuela.

Three days after twin 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes flattened parts of La Guaira state, the death toll has surged to 1,430, with nearly 69,000 people still reported missing, AP News reports.

Civilians armed with shovels and bare hands are digging through rubble alongside international rescue teams, racing the clock as the critical 72-hour survival window closes.

But frustration is boiling over at what many see as a feeble government response. Residents in Caraballeada accused officials of abandoning trapped survivors overnight, while others blocked an excavator after claiming state workers took selfies at collapse sites instead of helping.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez insists over 14,000 troops are deployed, but locals say they’ve seen little of them.

With over 6 million people potentially affected and aid pouring in from Mexico, the US, Brazil and beyond, rescuers are still pulling survivors — including an 18-day-old baby — from the wreckage.