Residents Charged Up to $3,000 to Extract Bodies from Country Mar Building Ruins in La Guaira

Fifteen days after powerful earthquakes caused the Country Mar building to collapse in La Guaira, Venezuela, residents are reporting exorbitant fees for the recovery of bodies from the rubble. Families are being asked to pay up to $3,000 to retrieve their loved ones, highlighting a critical lack of government support in the aftermath of the disaster.

César González, a local resident, stated that without official assistance, many individuals have resorted to paying substantial sums to recover family members trapped in the debris. González himself has been unable to retrieve his uncle, Luis González, who may still be alive, because the requested fee is $3,000. He noted that others who managed to recover bodies paid between $2,000 and $2,500.

Despite rescue workers indicating that the conditions at the site reduce the chances of survival, friends of González's uncle continue to assist in the search efforts. "Everything we have advanced has been with our own hands because governmental aid has been practically nil," González stated, emphasizing the community's self-reliance. The residents are appealing for heavy machinery to help remove the debris, as access to the area remains difficult.

The earthquakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, struck Venezuela on June 24, causing the collapse of over 100 buildings in the region. The official toll from the tragedy stands at 3,811 deaths and 16,740 injuries, with the recovery of victims from collapsed structures remaining a significant challenge for affected families.