Republican lawmakers have intensified their party’s internal dispute over how to respond to deadly earthquakes in Venezuela, with Florida representatives calling for a tougher stance toward the nation’s leadership while the Trump administration continues its efforts to engage with Caracas.
Florida Republicans highlighted reports that Venezuelan officials blocked foreign rescue teams from reaching disaster areas, arguing this underscores why U.S. humanitarian assistance should not be directed through the country’s government.
“Delcy Rodríguez … she’s the interim dictator, she’s part of the old regime, they’re failing at their job right now,” Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) said in a recent interview.
Gimenez urged the United States to use the crisis as leverage for political changes: “We should be extracting more from the regime… if you want our help, we need to speed up the process of restoring democracy to Venezuela.”
Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) criticized reports that an American rescue team was prevented from accessing a disaster site by Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, stating on social media: “Only a criminal would stand between rescue workers and people trapped beneath the rubble.”
Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.) called for Diosdado Cabello’s extradition to face justice.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) asserted that all humanitarian aid must remain under U.S. control: “NOT A SINGLE CENT should go to Delcy Rodríguez, Diosdado Cabello, or any part of their brutal and corrupt regime.”
The criticism reflects broader Republican frustrations with the administration’s efforts to maintain communication channels with Venezuelan officials, which they argue legitimizes an authoritarian government.
Phil Gunson, a Caracas-based senior analyst for the International Crisis Group, noted that the government’s actions in blocking foreign aid reflect its determination to retain control: “They would rather let people lie under the rubble than concede things like that.”
The situation has fueled growing outrage among Venezuelans awaiting news about missing relatives.
