India, July 3 -- Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez on Thursday mounted a forceful defence of her government's response to last week's devastating earthquakes, rejecting accusations that authorities reacted too slowly and dismissing criticism over the handling of rescue operations.

Speaking at a press conference for foreign journalists in Caracas while wearing a black ribbon in mourning, US-backed President Rodriguez pushed back against reports that residents in some of the worst-hit areas were largely left to fend for themselves in the crucial early hours after the disaster, saying that the criticism was based on a false premise.

She claimed that criticism of the response was driven by "narratives manufactured in propaganda l...