The former Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González has lashed out at the country's authorities for the "consequences" of the recent earthquakes, which have left nearly 3,000 dead, considering that they "prioritized other things" instead of focusing on prevention.
In a message to the nation broadcast this Saturday, González admitted that natural disasters cannot be avoided, but stressed that it is possible to decide how to prepare for them and how to react to them. In his opinion, those who run the institutions could have acted more effectively if, for years, they had focused on prevention, strengthening infrastructure, emergency services, and population protection. "They prioritized other things and there are the consequences," he stressed.
The opposition leader has called for transforming the tragedy into a turning point marked by respect, memory, and justice for the victims, and has also called for the release of all political prisoners. He insisted on the importance of recovering democracy, fully exercising citizens' rights, and working to rebuild Venezuela.
"Something like this must never happen again. We must all learn from this tragedy to drive the rebirth of a healthier, fairer, and more prosperous Venezuela. Venezuela deserves a different future and we will not stop until we achieve it," he stated in his speech.
Residing in Spain, González has expressed his condolences to those affected and has called for solidarity, remembrance, and the task of reconstruction. "I do not remember such devastation in my country," he indicated.
He highlighted that, even in the midst of suffering, the most critical moments bring out "the best of a people," with thousands of citizens involved in rescue efforts among the rubble, in aid centers, and in the hardest-hit areas to "give their all when they are most needed." He described them as "anonymous heroes of a resilient country, accustomed to facing adversity, but also determined not to give up."
Likewise, it has recognized the solidarity response both inside and outside Venezuela and has thanked the support of the international community, especially governments, humanitarian organizations, rescue teams, firefighters, and citizens of other countries that have offered their support in the midst of the emergency. International aid, it has affirmed, constitutes an "invaluable show of friendship" that will remain etched in the memory of Venezuelans.