Venezuelan rescuer arrested after complaining about shortage of equipment in earthquake-affected areas
Residents of La Guaira reported the deprivation of liberty of Wilmer Antonio Cruz, nicknamed "the mole of La Guaira", after he publicly questioned the lack of heavy machinery in rescue operations following the earthquakes of 24 June.
Venezuelan rescuer arrested after complaining about shortage of equipment in earthquake-affected areas
Residents of La Guaira reported the deprivation of liberty of Wilmer Antonio Cruz, nicknamed "the mole of La Guaira", after he publicly questioned the lack of heavy machinery in rescue operations following the earthquakes of 24 June.
Legal expert Tamara Suju reported on her X profile on 1 July that she had received testimonies indicating that law enforcement had taken Cruz away. The portal Cotejo.info collected these alerts, as did the newspaper El Nacional and the NGO Un Mundo Sin Mordaza, which also documented residents' concerns about the volunteer's whereabouts.
According to the testimonies gathered, the man had expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of mechanical means available to remove rubble and search for survivors. Following those statements, he disappeared from circulation and it is believed he remains in the custody of state security forces, with no official communication on the matter.
The news was initially confused with another figure. An internet user identified as Manuel Monterrosa wrote on Facebook on 2 July that Héctor Méndez—Mexican leader of the Topos Azteca group—had been apprehended. However, the same author corrected his message hours later, clarifying that the person detained was the rescuer from La Guaira, not the foreigner.
Méndez, 80 years old, is active on Venezuelan territory. Beauty queen Clara Vegas Goetz shared an image with the Mexican on social media and announced that she would soon publish a recorded conversation with him. His team of volunteers continues to collaborate in removal and relief efforts.
The veteran Mexican rescuer had been involved in a media incident days earlier when he recounted how a reporter from a local channel attempted to instruct him on the content of an interview, asking him to thank vice president Delcy Rodríguez. Méndez rejected the instruction, stating that he did not belong to any political force and would not accept anyone dictating what he should say.
So far, no government authority has confirmed or denied the legal situation of Wilmer Antonio Cruz.
Source: Google News VE — Crime