Venezuelans newly deported from US missing after hotel collapse

Key Points:

• Over 100 Venezuelan deportees from the US were trapped in a hotel in La Guaira during two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5, triggering a desperate search for survivors and victims amid the rubble.
• The deportees had arrived hours earlier on a flight from Miami and were housed at Hotel Santuario La Llanada, where they underwent medical exams and received identification documents before the disaster struck.
• Survivors like Lisbeth Portillo and Jenny Rodriguez recounted harrowing escapes from the collapsed building, with many injured and traumatized; Portillo described being buried under debris but managing to free herself.
• The Venezuelan government reported over 1,700 deaths from the earthquakes, while families of deportees, such as Liliana Rojas, are struggling to obtain information about their loved ones' whereabouts after deportation.
• Deportation flights to Venezuela resumed in February 2025 after a 13-month pause, with the US conducting 12 flights in May alone, reflecting the ongoing mass deportation efforts despite the humanitarian crisis unfolding.