He died in Venezuela’s earthquakes a day after the US deported him. Now his mother is seeking justice

He died in Venezuela's earthquake a day after U.S. deportation. Now his mother is seeking justice

He died in Venezuela s earthquakes - He died in Venezuela's earthquake a day after being deported by the U.S. His mother, Oswadeliz Núñez, now fights for answers in a tragedy that has left her family heartbroken. The twin earthquakes that struck the country last month killed over 300 people, with many families struggling to identify their loved ones amid the devastation. For Núñez, the search for her son Daniel was a race against time, fueled by the emotional weight of his recent deportation and the painful reality of his untimely death.

A Deportation Amid Uncertainty

Daniel Núñez, a 24-year-old Venezuelan national, was among 146 individuals deported from the U.S. in a single flight on the day the earthquakes began. The departure from Miami’s airport marked the beginning of a journey that would end in disaster. According to records from the Venezuelan immigration authority and the ICE Flight Monitor, the plane carried a mix of men, women, and children, many of whom had been detained under expedited repatriation procedures. Daniel had been in the U.S. for nearly three years, working as a laborer in Miami, and had just reunited with his mother hours before the quake struck. His mother recalled his final words, saying, “He told me, ‘No, Mom, we’re here with SEBIN officers.’”

The deportation process, which often prioritizes speed over due process, left Daniel vulnerable. His mother described how the authorities had promised him a safe return, feeding him and conducting medical checks before sending him to Macuto to await final paperwork. But the earthquake shattered those assurances, burying the hotel where he stayed and his life in mere minutes. “He was just days away from being reunited with his family,” Núñez said, her voice trembling. “Now, he’s gone.”

Searching for Answers in the Rubble

On the morning of the earthquake, Daniel was scheduled to visit his mother in El Tigre, a small town in western Venezuela. But his journey never reached its destination. Just 40 minutes after a final call with his mother, the ground shook violently, collapsing the building where he was staying. The aftermath left hundreds of bodies in La Guaira, the coastal city near the epicenter, with emergency workers overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster. Núñez, refusing to wait for government help, organized a team of relatives to scour the hospitals and morgues for her son’s remains.

“We slept two or three hours at a time and kept searching,” she explained. “We’d go into hospitals with eight, nine, 10 floors, climb every level, and check room by room.” The process was grueling, with bodies stacked in piles and identification delayed by the chaos. It wasn’t until days later that his tattoo—a small symbol of his identity—helped confirm his remains. “You could see his bones,” she said, holding a photo of the tattoo. “But the tattoo was the only thing that linked him to us.”

Delays in the Bureaucratic Process

Even after recovering Daniel’s body, Núñez faced bureaucratic delays that added to her anguish. Officials from Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication promised free cremation and burial services but warned of a 10- to 30-day wait. To expedite the process, she paid $680 to a private facility, a decision she described as necessary but painful. “We couldn’t afford to stay there any longer,” she said. “We’re not from La Guaira, and we were running out of time.”

The delay underscored the challenges of navigating the post-disaster system, where administrative procedures often lag behind the urgency of grieving families. Núñez expressed frustration over the lack of transparency, questioning whether Daniel’s deportation had contributed to his vulnerability. “He was already displaced, not just physically but emotionally,” she said. “We were all waiting for the best, but the earthquake took it all.”

The Ripple Effect of a Tragic Death

Daniel’s death has sparked a broader conversation about the risks faced by deported Venezuelans in the aftermath of natural disasters. His mother’s determination to find his remains and ensure a proper burial has become a symbol of resilience in the face of systemic neglect. “There are people who still haven’t found their loved ones,” she said. “They’re still searching, and it’s heartbreaking to see them struggle.”

His case also highlights the connection between Venezuela’s political instability and the humanitarian crisis. The country has been grappling with economic collapse and political turmoil for years, forcing many to seek refuge abroad. However, the deportation process, often criticized for its hasty nature, has left families like Núñez’s in limbo. “He was working hard to survive,” she said. “But when the earthquake hit, he was no longer protected.”

Justice in the Wake of the Disaster

With Daniel’s ashes returned to his hometown, Núñez now seeks justice for her son’s death. She hopes to uncover whether the deportation process played a role in his vulnerability, especially during the earthquake. “We want to know why he was in a hotel that collapsed,” she said. “And if the authorities could have done more to ensure his safety.”

CNN has contacted Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication and the Vuelta a la Patria program to investigate the circumstances surrounding Daniel’s deportation and the protocols followed during the repatriation. While responses are pending, Núñez remains steadfast in her pursuit of truth. “I will keep searching until I find answers,” she said. “He died in Venezuela’s earthquake, but his story deserves to be heard.”