Black smoke from fires in flattened buildings and the smell of decomposition have spread across ruins, one week after Venezuela’s devastating earthquakes, while rescue teams pulled on a thread of hope that they might still rescue the few remaining souls trapped beneath the rubble. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez continued to face mounting criticisms from Venezuelans over the government’s inadequate handling of the devastation. It comes just a day before the extension of Rodríguez’s 180-day mandate as acting leader was set to expire.