More than 100 Venezuelans deported from the United States remain missing after a hotel collapsed during twin earthquakes in Venezuela on June 29. The deportees arrived on a flight from Miami just hours before the disaster struck. They were held at Hotel Santuario La Llanada in La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas. Venezuelan authorities report over 1,700 deaths from the earthquakes, which measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude.
Lisbeth Portillo, a 58-year-old survivor, escaped the rubble with about 20 others. She described walking five kilometers through chaos, seeing people running barefoot and naked. Portillo reached a National Guard facility where she contacted relatives. "I was born again; God gave me a second chance," she said. Her account reveals the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, where communication breakdowns and panic compounded the crisis. The hotel, meant to be a temporary holding site, became a death trap for many.
The deportation flight carried 146 Venezuelans, including 19 women and seven children. This flight was part of a broader U.S. policy under the Trump administration to increase deportations. In May 2026 alone, ICE Flight Monitor tracked 288 deportation flights to 38 countries. Venezuela received 12 of these flights, resuming after a 13-month pause. The policy shift followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan migrants in October 2025.
Families of the missing deportees have expressed frustration with the lack of information from authorities. Luis Armando Dasilva, whose sister Amanda Donizete was deported, told CNN he has checked hospitals and morgues without success. "They are not giving us answers about where she is," he said. Another relative, José Gregorio Rincón Ávila, pleaded for help in recovering bodies. "We just want to be able to bury them," he said. The emotional toll on families highlights the human cost of deportation policies intersecting with natural disasters.
The U.S. has sent search and rescue teams and committed over $300 million to relief efforts. However, the focus remains on recovery rather than rescue, as hope dwindles for survivors trapped under rubble. The earthquakes exposed vulnerabilities in Venezuela’s infrastructure, particularly in coastal areas like La Guaira. The hotel’s collapse raises questions about the safety of temporary holding facilities used for deportees. Venezuelan officials have not provided details on why the hotel was chosen or its structural integrity.
The deportation of Venezuelans reflects broader U.S. immigration enforcement trends. The Trump administration’s policies prioritized mass removals, targeting countries with humanitarian crises. In May 2026, deportation flights included destinations like Burkina Faso, Cambodia, and Cameroon. The resumption of flights to Venezuela in February 2025 marked a shift in U.S. strategy, despite ongoing instability in the country. This policy has left deportees vulnerable to crises like the earthquakes, with little recourse for protection.
Survivors like Jenny Rodriguez, 24, recounted harrowing escapes. Rodriguez was trapped under rubble before a fellow deportee pulled her free. "I managed to free my hand from the debris, grabbed him by the trousers, and begged for help," she told Telemundo. Her story underscores the desperation of those caught in the disaster. The lack of coordination between U.S. and Venezuelan authorities has left families in limbo, waiting for news about their loved ones. The U.S. has not commented on the fate of the deportees, despite requests from CNN and other outlets.
The earthquakes also revealed systemic gaps in disaster response. Venezuela’s government has struggled to provide timely updates on casualties and missing persons. Rescue efforts have been hampered by limited resources and infrastructure damage. The U.S. involvement in relief efforts contrasts with its role in deporting individuals to a crisis zone. This duality highlights the contradictions in U.S. foreign policy, where humanitarian aid coexists with enforcement actions that exacerbate vulnerabilities.
