The Cuban government has confirmed the tragic death of a Cuban national in Venezuela due to the catastrophic earthquakes that occurred on June 24. This announcement was made by Ana Teresita González Fraga, the Director-General of Consular Affairs and Attention to Cuban Residents Abroad for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), in a statement posted on Facebook.
The victim, Lupercio Adrian D’Pérez y Pando, had been living in Caraballeda, Vargas state, since 2021, according to his Facebook profile.
González Fraga expressed her condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
"We are tirelessly working with Venezuelan authorities, the Association of Cubans, our collaborators, and other organizations to verify the status of other Cuban nationals who may be deceased or missing," she stated.
MINREX has provided a phone line, 7 8321484, for families in Cuba to report situations concerning their relatives in Venezuela.
"Cubans residing in Venezuela can reach out through the Cuban Consulate's numbers: 02129914635 / 04123332625," the post concluded.
This official acknowledgment comes days after MINREX had initially denied having any information about affected individuals.
Last Saturday, González Fraga had announced: "So far, we have no official confirmation of any Cuban nationals being injured, deceased, or missing," contradicting citizen reports that indicated over 30 Cubans were missing.
The confirmation of this death comes as families have already taken matters into their own hands.
On June 27, families confirmed the discovery of the body of Cuban child Vanessa Martínez from Melena del Sur, Mayabeque, along with her cousin. Both were residents in the Coral Beach building of Los Corales, La Guaira.
Vanessa's brother, Dayan Martínez, remains missing under the rubble of the same building. The siblings lived with their father, a Cuban doctor who chose to stay in Venezuela after completing an official mission; their mother resides in Cuba.
More Cuban nationals remain unaccounted for. A family of at least six members, including Alain Rodríguez Rojas, Teresa Rojas Rodríguez, and four others, is missing from the Oasis Beach and Resjurel buildings in La Guaira.
There is also an ongoing search for Dr. Lázara Yumara Villaurrutia Rodríguez, 35, from Matanzas, her husband, and their seven-month-old baby following the collapse of the Cumanagoto building.
Among the missing is Lupercio Pérez, a 55-year-old Cuban, last seen in the Costa Caribe area on June 24, according to the citizen platform Encuéntralos. Other missing individuals include Ady Zaldívar (64), Olivia Hernández Pérez (28, a psychologist), Michel Luis Curbelo Moreira (34, a physiotherapist), and Arístides Peralta Pérez (58, a boxing coach), among others.
The twin earthquakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, had their epicenter in Yaracuy and are the strongest recorded in Venezuela since 1900, according to the United States Geological Survey. The official Venezuelan toll has reached at least 1,450 deaths and over 3,238 injuries, while the UN estimates up to 50,000 individuals are missing across the country.
Cuba has dispatched a Special Rescue and Salvage Brigade to join international efforts, which include more than 25 teams from 17 countries. MINREX has made available the phone number 7 8321484 for families in Cuba to report the status of their relatives in Venezuela.
As of Monday, the platform Encuéntralos reported 77,913 people missing nationwide, underscoring the severity of this disaster, which has yet to fully reveal its devastating impact.
Questions About the Earthquake's Impact on Cubans in Venezuela
What actions has the Cuban government taken in response to the disaster in Venezuela?
The Cuban government has confirmed the death of a Cuban national and is actively working with Venezuelan authorities and other organizations to verify the status of other missing or deceased Cubans. They have also sent a Special Rescue and Salvage Brigade to assist with international efforts.
How can families in Cuba report missing relatives in Venezuela?
Families in Cuba can report missing relatives by calling the phone number 7 8321484, which has been set up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX).
What is the current status of missing Cubans in Venezuela?
As of the latest reports, several Cuban nationals remain missing, including families and individuals from various collapsed buildings. Efforts are ongoing to locate them, and the platform Encuéntralos is tracking missing persons nationwide.