Venezuelan NGO demands government publish unified registry of earthquake missing

The Venezuelan non-governmental organization Program for Venezuelan Education and Action in Human Rights (Provea) has publicly demanded that the government publish a unified and updated registry of individuals missing in the wake of the earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.

"We demand a public, unified, and updated registry from the Venezuelan State. Without it, the search continues to be solely in the hands of families," Provea stated on social media. The NGO criticized the authorities for not providing updated official figures on the missing since June 25, when initial reports indicated 157 people were unaccounted for.

This lack of a centralized record contrasts sharply with figures emerging from affected regions. In early August, the governor of La Guaira state, José Alejandro Terán, reported that families in his region had filed over 1,500 missing person reports. Furthermore, the community initiative "Desaparecidos Terremoto Venezuela" has collected more than 29,000 reports on its digital platform from individuals who have not yet been able to establish contact with their loved ones.

Provea emphasized that Venezuela's international obligations regarding risk management and victim protection remain unfulfilled. The organization urged state institutions to maintain a priority focus on the humanitarian tragedy stemming from the seismic events. As of the latest official reports, the confirmed death toll stands at least 6,509 people. Two months after the earthquakes, aid organizations and volunteers are warning of a reduced flow of international assistance to the most devastated areas of the central coast, where critical needs for drinking water, hygiene products, and medical supplies persist.

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We demand a public, unified, and updated registry from the Venezuelan State. Without it, the search continues to be solely in the hands of families.