SENAMECF maintains 24-hour deployment and applies international protocols after seismic contingency

Published at: 09/07/2026 01:10 PM

The National Service of Medicine and Forensic Sciences (SENAMECF) maintains a continuous 24-hour operational deployment in the facilities of the Bello Monte morgue and in the authorized protective silos. This measure seeks to provide an immediate response to the families of the victims of the double earthquake, through the strict application of rigorous international standards and protocols for forensic investigation.

During an interview with Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), the agency's deputy director, Dr. Sinuhe Villalobos, explained that they carry out different procedures depending on the condition of entry of the bodies, with the objective of streamlining the procedures attached to the law and mitigating the emotional impact of families affected by the tragedy.

For cases where victims are fully recognized by their families at the time of rescue in areas of collapse, the institution develops the regular survey protocol efficiently. The technical procedure includes the corresponding autopsy practice and the subsequent issuance of the death certificate for burial activities. This operational route allows citizens to have the necessary legal documentation in a timely manner, reducing waiting times in the midst of an emergency.

On the contrary, in those situations where victims do not carry identity documentation or their physical features are not recognizable to the naked eye, Senamecf activates a specialized multidisciplinary approach. This line of work involves the action of anthropologists, dentists and geneticists who apply international regulations to scientifically individualize each case.

The protocols include the determination of sex, estimated age range, detailed description of injuries and the medical cause of death, ensuring that all bodies receive a strict photographic record and a unique numerical identification code.

Forensic commissions carry out detailed interviews with family members to thoroughly compare the data provided by relatives with the physical and biological analyses under development. The organization's management emphasized the importance of scientific rigor at every stage of the process to avoid any margin of error in the delivery of the deceased.

In this regard, Dr. Villalobos emphasized: “We as an institution must minimize errors, we cannot deliver a body if we are not completely sure that it belongs to the person.”

Mazo News Team