Cecodap: At least 1,405 minors affected by Venezuela earthquakes

A new report from the NGO Centros Comunitarios de Aprendizaje (Cecodap) reveals that at least 1,405 children, adolescents, and young people were affected by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24. The NGO documented these cases up to July 23 and issued a warning that the ongoing emergency is transitioning into a phase with heightened protection risks for minors.

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the emergency is transiting towards a phase of greater protection risks for children.

The report details that among the verified cases, 437 children were injured (31.10%), 273 are missing (19.43%), 233 have been displaced with their families to other states (16.58%), and 221 have died (15.73%). Cecodap highlighted that 494 minors fall into the most severe categories of deceased and missing, representing 35.16% of the registered cases.

Cecodap also pointed out persistent gaps in official figures and called for a detailed breakdown by age to fully grasp the impact on children. The 0-11 age group accounts for the largest proportion of affected individuals, with 709 cases (50.46%). This group includes 100 children aged four to six from the children's baseball league Los Criollitos de La Guaira, 31 infants under one year old, and two neonates whose pregnant mothers died buried in the rubble.

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there persist gaps in the official figures and demanded a detailed breakdown by ages to measure the real impact on childhood.

The organization documented at least 35 cases where minors initially reported missing were later found deceased. Cecodap attributed this pattern to misinformation and the circulation of fake contact posters. Furthermore, in 130 of the 273 disappearance cases, public reports included photographs and places of residence but omitted ages and primary caregiver information, increasing the risk of neglect and complicating family reunification efforts. The NGO stressed the urgent need for an institutional response that prioritizes the comprehensive protection of Venezuelan children affected by the earthquakes.

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the reports include photographs and place of residence, but omit the age and the data of the main caregivers, which, according to the NGO, increases the risk of lack of protection and complicates family reunification.