Venezuelan deportees trapped in earthquake collapse after US repatriation

A group of 146 Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States on June 24th found themselves trapped under rubble following a devastating earthquake in Venezuela. The migrants had arrived on flight 164 and were being processed at the Hotel Santuário La Llanada in La Guaira, the most affected state. The hotel, which housed the deportees and government officials, collapsed during the twin earthquakes that struck the South American nation. Orlando Torres, one of the deportees, narrowly escaped the collapse because a phone call to his brother was not answered, delaying him from entering the main building. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed the flight's safe arrival and the return of all individuals to Venezuela, stating they are no longer responsible once a person leaves ICE custody. Survivors have described harrowing experiences of self-rescue and aiding others amidst the darkness and debris, with some reporting a lack of immediate assistance from Venezuelan authorities like Sebin. Initial informal counts suggest a low survival rate among the deportees, though official figures have not been released by Venezuelan authorities. The deportees had originally left Venezuela to escape the country's economic collapse and political persecution, undertaking dangerous journeys before their repatriation.