A Venezuelan father and his two young sons were miraculously rescued alive from the ruins of the 11‑storey Ritasol Palace building in La Guaira’s Caraballeda area after a 7.2‑magnitude earthquake struck on June 24. The dramatic rescue was led by the father’s eldest son, 26‑year‑old Jesús García, a former firefighter who joined the operation after hearing his father’s cries beneath the rubble. The family had been trapped in the basement for more than an hour before rescue efforts began, and were freed after a tense 20‑hour operation involving police and former firefighting colleagues.

The father, 46‑year‑old mechanic José García, expressed gratitude for surviving with his sons Diego, 7, and Santiago, 12, though his wife remains missing under the debris. He continues to wait at the site, hoping she will be found alive. The twin earthquakes have caused widespread devastation across Venezuela, killing at least 3,342 people and leaving over 50,000 missing. Government figures show 856 buildings damaged and 190 completely collapsed.

Public anger has grown over slow rescue operations and disorganized relief efforts, deepening the sense of uncertainty and grief nationwide.