A group of 146 Venezuelan nationals deported from the United States were being processed at a hotel in La Guaira, Venezuela, when twin earthquakes caused the building to collapse, according to family members. The incident has left families searching for missing relatives, with conflicting reports regarding the number of survivors among the deportees.
What happened to the deportees?
On Wednesday, a flight carrying 146 Venezuelan deportees landed in Caracas. According to family accounts, the group was taken to a guarded hotel in La Guaira for processing. Shortly after their arrival, twin earthquakes struck the region, causing the building to collapse. Angelo Mejía Meléndez, who worked at a pier in Miami and was among those on the flight, was confirmed dead after his family identified his body at a morgue using a distinctive pizza tattoo on his arm, according to his friend Georgelyss Montes. Other families, including those of Víctor Guanipa Toyo and Daniel Núñez, remain in a state of uncertainty, searching hospitals and morgues for their missing relatives.
Why is there a dispute over the survivors?
The Venezuelan agency responsible for transporting the deportees has not provided a clear accounting of the survivors. While the agency stated via WhatsApp to NPR that families have been informed of the status of their loved ones, several family members explicitly dispute this claim. Alonso Guanipa Toyo, who is searching for his brother Víctor, stated that his family has received no definitive information and that the government is “not doing anything.” Similarly, Oswadeliz Nuñez, whose son Daniel is missing, reported that she has not received updates since her son called her shortly before the earthquake to confirm he had landed.
What happens next for deportation policy?
The future of U.S. deportation flights to Venezuela remains unclear in the wake of the disaster. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment regarding whether current deportation policies will be altered following the earthquake. Families of the missing, such as Oswadeliz Nuñez, have called for assistance in recovering bodies from the rubble. Because the agency managing the processing has not released official casualty numbers, families are likely to continue their independent searches through local hospitals and shelters until they receive formal notification or find their relatives.
