Two devastating earthquakes have plunged Venezuela into its first crisis under acting president Delcy Rodríguez, posing a crucial test of the Trump administration's bet that she can transform the country into a more functional, compliant ally.
The quakes, which had a magnitude of over 7, have killed over 900 people and left 3,360 injured, with 51,000 people missing. Venezuelan authorities have struggled to respond to the disaster, with residents taking matters into their own hands to find survivors and deliver aid.
U.S. officials have pledged a "whole-of-government" response, committing $150 million in aid and dispatching disaster-response teams. However, the Trump administration's experiment in governing Venezuela may already be too late, with the country's weak infrastructure and corruption-ridden government exacerbating the crisis.
The earthquakes have laid bare the country's deep-seated problems, including a severe humanitarian crisis, food insecurity, and public services that cannot meet basic health needs. Rodríguez has sought to rebrand politically, meeting with American bankers and businessmen and portraying herself as a champion for foreign investment.
However, any perceived mishandling of the response, including corruption, delays, or the politicization of aid distribution, could trigger unrest among an increasingly exhausted population. Rodríguez's administration will also be tested on how far she is willing to roll back Maduro-era controls in a national emergency.
