Data published by Venezuela's Ministry of Information on Sunday showed that the death toll from two earthquakes that struck Venezuela has risen to 3,342. The new figures also indicate that the number of injured has reached 16,470, while the number of displaced persons has risen to 17,345.
Earlier in the day, Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's acting president, defended the government's response to the two earthquakes in a speech marking the 215th anniversary of Venezuelan independence, amid growing frustration over what many have described as a delayed and inadequate response to the disaster. Rodríguez said she had immediately deployed security forces and announced the establishment of a new military unit to help deal with emergencies and disasters.