Venezuelan NGO urges international standards for body identification

Venezuelan NGO Cofavic is urging authorities to adhere to international standards for the recovery and identification of human remains, particularly in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes that have claimed thousands of lives. The organization emphasized the importance of following established protocols, such as the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Deaths and Interpol's Identification of Victims of Catastrophes (IVC) standard.

Cofavic highlighted that any process for identifying human remains must ensure the independence, impartiality, and technical competence of the teams involved. They also stressed the need for preserving the chain of custody and all forensic evidence, along with thorough and transparent documentation of each stage. The NGO also called for the participation of multidisciplinary teams specializing in forensic anthropology, archaeology, legal medicine, genetics, and criminalistics.

Nearly a month after the double earthquake, families in the coastal state of La Guaira, the most affected region, continue to search for missing loved ones amidst the ruins. Official figures for the missing are not being provided by Venezuelan authorities. This week, the government initiated DNA testing for relatives to identify deceased individuals through scientific genetic profile comparisons. Reports also indicate that unidentified victims have been buried in mass graves in a municipal cemetery in La Guaira.