The head of Mexico's internationally renowned rescue brigade, Los Topos, has accused Venezuelan authorities of attempting to pressure his team while they searched for survivors following the devastating twin earthquakes that struck the country last week.
Héctor Méndez, leader of Los Topos, said members of the volunteer rescue organization faced what he described as government interference after arriving in Venezuela to assist in search and rescue operations in some of the hardest-hit areas. His allegations come as international teams continue working alongside Venezuelan responders amid mounting criticism over the pace and coordination of rescue efforts.
According to Méndez, officials sought to influence where and how his team operated, despite Los Topos' long-standing practice of independently evaluating disaster sites based on technical criteria and the likelihood of locating survivors. He publicly criticized what he characterized as political pressure during an emergency that demanded humanitarian cooperation above all else.
El Topo Mayor also denounced that a journalist from a Venezuelan TV station (where there is an open censorship) told him, "You have to say thank you to your president. I won't say from which network, but I told her I am 80 years old and you aren't going to tell me what to say." He also explained how she reminded him of how Los Topos are a civil organization that "serves the civil society, not any government."
Los Topos, founded after Mexico City's devastating 1985 earthquake, has earned an international reputation for deploying to some of the world's deadliest natural disasters, including the earthquakes in Haiti, Japan, Türkiye and Nepal. The volunteer organization traveled to Venezuela after the Mexican government announced it was sending specialized rescue personnel and medical assistance in response to the catastrophe.
The allegations surface as Venezuela continues to grapple with the aftermath of the powerful magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck within seconds of each other on June 24. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble in Caracas, La Guaira and other northern states, prompting one of the largest international rescue mobilizations in the country's history.
More than 800 foreign rescue workers from multiple countries have joined Venezuelan emergency personnel in the search for survivors, bringing specialized equipment, rescue dogs, drones and structural assessment teams. Mexico's Los Topos have been among the most recognizable international volunteer groups participating in the operation.
Méndez added that Los Topos will stay in Venezuela helpoing "until neccesary."
The comments by the Los Topos leader also arrive amid growing scrutiny of the government's handling of the disaster. Survivors in several affected communities have complained about delays in aid distribution and insufficient rescue resources, while some international observers have questioned the coordination of emergency operations. Financial Times reporting from the disaster zone described growing frustration among residents who said they were forced to dig through collapsed buildings themselves while awaiting additional assistance.
🇻🇪 ¡APOYEMOS A VENEZUELA! 🤝❤️
— Topos® México (@topos) June 28, 2026
Ante la emergencia provocada por el reciente sismo en Venezuela, la Brigada de Rescate Topos Tlatelolco A.C. está recolectando víveres y herramientas para apoyar a las familias afectadas y a los equipos de rescate que se encuentran trabajando en la… pic.twitter.com/q4sloKwbAU
Venezuelan authorities have not publicly responded to Méndez's allegations. Officials have instead emphasized the scale of the international humanitarian response and have repeatedly thanked foreign governments and volunteer organizations for their assistance during the crisis.
As rescue efforts continue, Los Topos says its priority remains locating survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures, despite the challenges its members say they encountered on the ground. The organization has maintained for decades that humanitarian rescue work should remain independent of political considerations, particularly during the critical hours following a major disaster.
