Venezuelan rescuer Wilmer Cruz released after detention

Wilmer Cruz, a Venezuelan volunteer rescuer known as "El Topo de La Guaira" (The Mole of La Guaira), has been released after being held at a National Bolivarian Police (PNB) facility in Caracas. His liberation came hours after activists and supporters publicly denounced his alleged forced disappearance and arbitrary detention.

Cruz had been missing since July 1. According to the non-governmental organization Provea, Cruz was approached by unidentified men in black clothing while engaged in rescue operations at a residential complex in Caraballeda, La Guaira state. The officials reportedly told him they would provide a jackhammer for search efforts before taking him away without explanation.

His family searched various security agencies for information, even checking El Helicoide, a notorious detention center, where they were told he was not being held. The lack of official information prompted Provea to warn of a potential forced disappearance and arbitrary detention, urging the Public Ministry to conduct a transparent investigation and ensure Cruz's physical integrity.

Cruz became a visible figure during the emergency following earthquakes that struck La Guaira state on June 24. He publicly highlighted the state's shortcomings in providing machinery, specialized equipment, and qualified personnel for the disaster response. Venezuelan authorities have not yet issued official statements regarding the reasons for his detention or the terms of his release, which was reportedly under a precautionary measure requiring periodic court appearances.

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We inform that this Friday afternoon #3Jul Wilmer Cruz was released under a substitute precautionary measure of freedom with a presentation regime, after having been presented before the control courts.