Earthquake in Venezuela | Venezuela: The post-traumatic stress is noticeable

The earthquake left a field of rubble in La Guaira and the region continues to suffer from the consequences. Photo: Andrés Rodríguez October 2nd marks 100 days since the earthquakes in Venezuela. Some emergency shelters for earthquake victims were closed on September 30th. What does this mean for the people who have become homeless?

Many of these people don't know where to go. The state has not yet been able to meet the immense need for housing because the number of people affected is far too large, including those who already live in precarious conditions. There was no time to develop plans. Some people managed to find shelter, but the vast majority are left with nothing.

The two earthquakes on June 24, first in San Felipe, in the state of Yaracuy, and just 39 seconds later in the coastal regions around Catia La Mar and La Guaira, were estimated to have left over 6,300 dead and more than 70,000 injured. The state of La Guaira is the region that suffered tragic losses and destruction on January 3rd due to the US attack, which violated international law. After the earthquakes, it is said to have taken a few days for the Venezuelan government to take action. Correct?

The disaster came as a surprise and was devastating. Nobody could be prepared for such a situation. The state did not have an adequate emergency plan. People from the affected communities immediately took part in rescuing victims. There was incredible solidarity. In this phase, spontaneous emergency shelters were initially created. So it happened that both the state and organized civil society, the authorities and ministries realized that we had to work together. The state couldn't do it alone, and we NGOs couldn't act without taking the state control mechanisms into account. In collaboration with rescue workers from all over the world and civil society organizations, medically and psychosocially supported camps were set up, and all NGOs that work in the country like us took part in their functionality.

Helen Ruiz is president of the independent foundation “Luz y Vida” in Venezuela and works as a clinical psychologist there. The foundation was founded in 1994 and is based in Petare, one of the largest neighborhoods in Caracas. As a religious NGO, they cooperate with the United Nations, the UNHCR refugee agency and Unicef. The conversation took place as part of the “Benefit Venezuela Film Event” organized by the ViF festival group in Frankfurt.

As president of the independent Luz y Vida foundation, you work primarily as a clinical psychologist. How do you perceive the situation?

As an NGO with more than 30 years of experience in community work, it has always been the case that every time we wanted to carry out an activity we had to apply for approval and report on the results. Our support and that of other organizations is now actively sought in the area of ​​psychosocial care. We had to add more than 40 psychologists to the foundation so that they could be deployed in different places.

We see that the people affected are no longer in the phase of acute stress. The mourning phase has begun for many and post-traumatic stress and emotional disorders are becoming increasingly common. Depression occurs and the number of suicides increases. When you talk about not giving up hope, I have to counter that in order to have hope you also have to have a safe way out in sight. But that is not the case for many. There is great uncertainty among people: How and where will they live now?

Directly in the communities. Through active care, we want to continue to strengthen people's abilities to master their lives, to live together peacefully and to prevent mental illnesses that can lead to suicide, as well as situations such as child trafficking, sexual abuse and gender-based violence.

Surely this also includes education?

There was recently a press conference in Caracas by PANA, an independent news agency that is dedicated to children and young people and, since the earthquakes, has also specifically provided information about the consequences such as child trafficking or abuse. This gives an estimated minimum value of 3,267 children and young adults who now live in precarious conditions. Actually, in Venezuela we have one of the most progressive laws for the protection of minors, which has its origins in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. But of course we cannot prevent there being children who have lost their parents or parents who have lost their children. We must help ensure that they do not end up homeless. It is important to ensure that the regulations are properly implemented and that their human rights are protected.

The political situation is not very helpful at the moment. How do you see that?

We Venezuelans have developed a resilience to overcome difficulties and not allow ourselves to be manipulated. Even though we alone do not have the power to bring about change, many understand the situation and view it with a critical eye. My job requires me to remain neutral, as we serve people of all political leanings and from all walks of life; that is, part of our job is to include all people who need help in our areas of expertise.

The supply bottlenecks continue even after the US blockade is “eased,” right?

Yes. Many non-governmental organizations in Venezuela have been working as partner organizations of the United Nations since the beginning of the complex humanitarian emergency, i.e. since around 2015. And if you ask me about the US sanctions: yes, there was a terrible shortage of the most basic foodstuffs, of medicines... This situation has changed in the sense that food and medicines are now entering the country, but people's purchasing power has not improved! There has been de facto dollarization for some time and there are people who do not have access to foreign exchange. For example, the pension for seniors is 130 bolívars, which is about 10 cents. This highlights the vulnerability of those without access to decent work with a fair wage, especially older people, not to mention the most affected populations. Access to food in the country may improve, but if it does not reach the population that does not have the necessary means, there is no point. If they go to the hospital and need a medicine, they have to buy it, and if they are unable to do so, treatment is not possible.

Certain sections of the international press point out that the United States exercises control both in La Guaira itself and even at the airport, allowing some people through but not others. Can you confirm that?

I personally didn't experience that. We saw that the state, with its police forces, controlled the access to La Guaira and places such as Maiquetía airport. There is indeed control - whether people accept it or not, but this control is agreed with the state and the authorities, the incumbent president. The US Embassy has reopened. There is an agreement - we don't know why or for what purpose! Maybe there is a U.S. presence in states where there are oil refineries, maybe, but you don't see it because it's something that's not visible. It seems like, let's say, a diplomatic relationship - something that was accepted at the time.

But I can say with certainty that there is a lot of uncertainty among the population. You don't know whether there will be elections or not. You don't know anything. The extreme poverty that has been worsening for years, the pandemic, the most recent US bombing on January 3rd and now the earthquakes - all of this has hit the most vulnerable hardest.

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