Earthquake didn’t suit those calling for elections. International community finds perfect excuse to revise its outdated narrative. They will cooperate effectively with authorities led by Delcy Rodríguez. Election campaign will have to wait for several more years. Most of Macuto and Caraballeda are in ruins. There are several cracks in coastal highway. Since 1967 earthquake and the 1999 landslide, we have known that reconstruction must be of highest quality. Destruction is widespread in many buildings. Getting to Caraballeda final destination was difficult. Upper Macuto and Los Corales experienced severe destruction and total loss of most property. There are leaning buildings that could collapse in the next few days. Power lines and traffic lights moved in incredible ways and places.
Commentators politicize natural tragedy to promote unacceptable elections. They must wait until 2029. It is unlikely that ordinary citizens will ever vote for candidates whose strategy is to gain political capital by exploiting suffering of others. They are not helping anyone. They are a disgrace. If exiles are not contributing money so that we buy needed supplies, they should stop commenting on this country internal affairs. They should never come back. We will not allow any political candidates they support to ever win any election.
Those who are not here may send us remittances: we will buy what is needed locally. Those who are looking for excuses to politicize other people’s tragedies: need to get out of our way. Those of us who stay here require more resources and less proselytizing. Those who politicize natural tragedies are despicable. Their profile pinpoints them as cowardly deserters who left Venezuela. Only thing we need from them is to send us remittances. It is not a priority to resolve our territorial planning strategies with them.
America is great again. We have confirmed Salvadoran activities in Vargas today. This would have been impossible during previous administration of Venezuela. Deplorable people who endorse revoking freedom of expression abound in these harsh times. Sour language is widespread on losers. Fortunately presidents Trump and Rodríguez together are on correct side of history. Today’s visit to Catia La Mar confirms arrival of El Salvador assistance, in addition to deployment of local CICPC and fire marshalls. Several people have fallen to trap of generating excuses for positioning political diatribe. Our focus shall exclusively remain in unified efforts for earthquake victims. Sour language is not suitable for promoting mutual understanding.
Catia La Mar and Atlántida are even more neglected than Macuto and Caraballeda. Filthy odor of corpses surrounds the area. Most residents are homeless. Domestic and foreign aid are yet to arrive. Heavy machinery is needed to rescue survivors. Hospital is working reasonably well. Main Avenue of Catia La Mar is chaotic. It features widespread looting, devastation, debris, burning, relatively cautious traffic because we all avoid accidents. These are days of reunion. Locals appreciate our visits because they require greater dissemination of such a need. Amidst politicized corpses and rubble, deplorable promoters of pointless and perpetual elections seek to impose a new chapter of insults and irrelevance. They are annoyed by recognition that domestic and international rescue workers deserve.
Politizing this is height of shamelessness. We are not in election campaign. Those surviving in affected areas are not focused on rallies that distract from rescue efforts. Those who shift focus away from victims’ cases will be condemned for trivializing this natural disaster. Both of our vehicles broke down today: four wheel drive in morning, car in afternoon. They couldn’t withstand grueling pace of several days spent traveling across Vargas, Higuerote and El Junquito to gather testimonies. Humanitarian aid is also needed for those who need to repair our vehicles.
Rubén Rivero