Venezuela’s Earthquake Disaster Is Now America’s Burden

Thousands more remain unaccounted for, and the UN has ordered 10,000 body bags. After decades in which Venezuela has become a place where the dead are not properly counted, the real death toll may never be established.

A catastrophe compounded by misrule

The regime’s handling of the catastrophe has been deplorable. In La Guaira, the worst-affected state, survivors report that no official assistance arrived during the first 48 hours — the critical window when those trapped beneath collapsed buildings might still be rescued alive.

Families were left to dig through mounds of dust and shattered concrete for their loved ones. Heavy equipment to move the rubble arrived slowly and sometimes ran out of fuel. Some rescue teams lacked torches. The smell of decomposing bodies now hangs over the area.

Injured survivors reaching hospitals find wards understaffed and poorly equipped. The regime, as incompetent as it is authoritarian, has been sluggish in distributing aid.

America now holds the levers — and the responsibility

Since January, when Donald Trump dispatched military forces to seize Venezuela’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro, the country’s troubles have become America’s as well. President Trump replaced Mr Maduro with his more pliant deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, and has claimed he now runs the country through her.

That is an overstatement, but America does directly control Venezuela’s oil revenues, and Ms Rodríguez must cooperate with Uncle Sam to some extent if she wishes to avoid her predecessor’s fate. He remains in an American prison.

America’s unique involvement in Venezuela carries unique responsibilities, and it should do more to meet them. Around 300 American rescuers have arrived, along with 900 marines. But of the $300m promised in aid, only $100m is new money. All help is welcome, but the need is immense.

A blocked return and a postponed vote risk more unrest

Meanwhile, other challenges loom. Venezuela’s most popular politician, opposition leader María Corina Machado, is in exile. The Trump administration has told her not to attempt a return, fearing her arrival in Caracas would trigger unrest. Until now, she has complied.

But after the quakes, she is understandably desperate to rejoin her people. In the past week, both America and the regime have blocked her. That is wrong. As a Venezuelan, she has every right to go home.

Elections have been promised, but many fear the regime will keep postponing them. Anger is mounting. Mr Trump’s popularity in Venezuela, sky-high right after he removed the hated Mr Maduro, has been sliding. This is a dangerous combination.

An election may not be feasible soon, but America and the regime should set a timetable for one. That could defuse public fury and give foreign investors hope that the country will one day be less lawless — and thus worth investing in more.

A debt mountain that will define any recovery

The earthquakes have also worsened another huge challenge: the mess of the government’s debts. By one estimate, Venezuela’s sovereign debt totals $240bn, or 240% of GDP. If accurate, a restructuring would be the most ambitious ever attempted anywhere.

Worse, the IMF, normally a neutral arbiter, is not involved, and the creditor mix includes Chinese banks, Russia’s government, and others who prefer to remain anonymous.

American officials say they hope a deal can be reached by year’s end, but that sounds fanciful. America must not accept a partial, botched agreement merely to stay on schedule. That would invite legal challenges and accusations of corruption. To give Venezuela its best shot at stable finances, America should instead press its government to adhere to international rules and engage with the IMF, even if that takes longer.

For the thousands crushed or smothered by the quakes, it is too late. For Venezuela, there is a chance of renewal, but its people deserve better than Mr Trump and his dire protégée.

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