Lazara Yumara Villaurrutia Rodriguez, a 35-year-old Cuban doctor, has gone missing along with her Venezuelan husband and their seven-month-old baby following the collapse of their apartment building in La Guaira, Venezuela, due to the earthquakes on June 24, 2026.
The situation was shared on Saturday by independent reporter Christian Arbolaez through his verified Facebook account, where he documents cases of missing Cubans after the seismic event.
According to a plea from her family, Villaurrutia Rodriguez lived with her husband, known only as Juan, and their infant son, Sebastián, in the Cumanagoto building located in Playa Grande, Catia La Mar.
Their residence crumbled during the quakes, and since then, none of the family members have been reached by loved ones.
“The family of Lázara Yusmara Villaurrutia Rodríguez is in relentless distress,” Arbolaez noted, urging anyone in Venezuela, particularly in La Guaira, to provide any information about the doctor, her husband, or their child.
The earthquakes that led to the family's disappearance struck on June 24 at 6:04 PM local time, with two tremors measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale occurring just 39 seconds apart. These were the most powerful quakes recorded in Venezuela since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
La Guaira state suffered the most severe impact, with over 250 buildings collapsing or sustaining major damage in areas such as Catia La Mar, Playa Grande, and Los Corales. At least 200 people were trapped under debris.
The death toll has surged to 920, with more than 3,360 injured, based on the Venezuelan government's report, while the United Nations estimates up to 50,000 missing nationwide.
Villaurrutia Rodriguez's case is part of a growing list of missing Cubans after the earthquakes. Community initiatives like Encuéntralos and the independent media outlet elToque have documented over 30 missing Cubans in Venezuela, primarily in La Guaira.
Among the most heartbreaking cases is that of children Vanessa and Dayan Martínez, originally from Melena del Sur, Mayabeque, who lived with their father—a Cuban doctor—in the Coral Beach building in Los Corales. Tragically, Vanessa and her cousin were confirmed dead this Saturday, while Dayan remains missing.
Additionally, a Cuban family of six, including Alain Rodríguez Rojas and Teresa Rojas Rodríguez, is missing from the Oasis Beach and Resjurel buildings in La Guaira.
In light of the disaster's scale, the Cuban regime has remained silent. Ana Teresita González Fraga, director general of Consular Affairs at Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated on Saturday that there is no "official confirmation of injured, deceased, or missing nationals," regarding Cubans affected in Venezuela.
Arbolaez encouraged sharing his post and invited those seeking to publicize the search for a missing Cuban to contact him privately: "Each post can help the information reach the right person."
Information on the Missing Cuban Family in Venezuela
What happened to Lazara Yumara Villaurrutia Rodriguez and her family?
Lazara Yumara Villaurrutia Rodriguez, her husband, and their baby went missing after their building collapsed during earthquakes in La Guaira, Venezuela.
How powerful were the earthquakes in Venezuela?
The earthquakes on June 24, 2026, in Venezuela had magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, occurring just 39 seconds apart, marking them as the strongest since 1900.
How has the Cuban government responded to the situation?
The Cuban government has remained silent, with no official confirmation of affected Cuban nationals according to a statement from Ana Teresita González Fraga.