29/06/2026 10:39 - Internacionales
Amidst the tragedy engulfing Venezuela following the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes on June 24, 2026, a ray of hope illuminated this June 29. El Salvador's President, Nayib Bukele, announced what he called a 'miracle' operation: the rescue of Aaron Levi Cantillo Vargas, a 21-year-old young man who remained trapped under the rubble of a building in Caraballeda, La Guaira state.
The operation was made possible through the coordinated efforts of rescue teams from Venezuela, Mexico, and El Salvador, who worked tirelessly for hours to reach the young man. Aaron is now receiving specialized medical attention, as confirmed by Bukele on his X account.
Context: La Guaira is a coastal state in northern Venezuela, approximately 30 km from Caracas. It is densely populated and highly vulnerable to seismic activity.
| Rescued Person | Location | Rescue Team | Time Trapped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Levi Cantillo (21 years) | Caraballeda, La Guaira | Venezuela, Mexico, El Salvador | Days under rubble |
| Father and son | Caraballeda | France and USA | 4 days |
| Mother and baby (9 months) | La Guaira | USA-01 Brigade | - |
| Baby (18 days old) and mother | La Guaira | - | 32 hours |
| Moisés (11 years) | La Guaira | Colombia | 3 meters under rubble |
| Woman (60 years) | La Guaira | - | 86 hours |
Amidst the survival stories, profound sorrow also emerges. Lucas Trejo, an Argentine footballer 38 years old who plays for Club Sport Maritimo La Guaira in the Venezuelan second division, suffered an irreparable loss: his wife Yanina and their two children, Aarón and Ainhoa, died in the earthquake.
Trejo was at a team training camp in Caracas when the earthquake struck. For three days he searched tirelessly for his family among the rubble of what was once their home in La Guaira. Finally, rescue teams recovered their bodies.
"Club Sport Maritimo La Guaira deeply mourns the irreparable loss of our player's wife and children"
A 4.6 magnitude aftershock struck northern Caracas on Monday, June 29 at 13:24 local time, according to the United States Geological Survey. The tremor, occurring at a depth of 10 kilometers, caused no additional damage but maintained fear among the population.
The President of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, warned that they are in 'critical hours' for rescuing survivors, as the first 72 hours after a natural disaster are crucial.
The international community has responded massively. China announced the delivery of 100 million yuan (approximately US$ 14.7 million) in humanitarian aid supplies and will provide satellite imagery of affected areas.
Other notable contributions include:
Leidy Cáceres, 49, a survivor of the 1999 Vargas tragedy, now relives the same pain: "For me, this feels like living through the same thing again. We lost everything back then." She currently sleeps in a tent with her pregnant daughter and five grandchildren in Parque del Este, Caracas.
Citizen discontent grows over what many perceive as a slow and insufficient governmental response. Volunteers and neighbors have taken the initiative distributing food, water, and mattresses while awaiting more official support.
All schools in Venezuela will remain closed until at least July 6, 2026 due to extensive damage caused by the earthquakes. Some educational facilities will be converted into aid centers and shelters for affected families.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
