More than 100 Venezuelans who were deported from the United States hours before the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes in Venezuela were staying at a hotel in La Guaira when the buildings collapsed, according to survivors and flight records.

The United States resumed deportation flights to Venezuela in February 2025 after a 13‑month suspension, conducting 12 flights in May and tracking 288 deportations to 38 countries, as reported by ICE Flight Monitor. The 146 Venezuelans on the Miami‑to‑Venezuela flight included 19 women and seven children, and they were transported to Hotel Santuario La Llanada where they underwent medical examinations and received identification documents before being told they would return home the next day.

Survivor Lisbeth Portillo described escaping the rubble with about 20 other deportees, walking roughly five kilometers while seeking assistance, and contacting relatives at a National Guard facility. She said she was traumatized and could not recall her children’s phone numbers. Another survivor, Jenny Rodriguez, recounted being trapped under debris and rescued by a fellow deportee. Liliana Rojas reported difficulty locating her 33‑year‑old partner, who had been detained in El Paso, Texas, before deportation. The Venezuelan government reported more than 1,700 deaths from the earthquakes. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to a request for comment.

The whereabouts of many of the deported individuals remain unconfirmed, and the Venezuelan government has not provided a complete list of those killed or missing.