Venezuelan State applies international protocols to identify victims of the double earthquake

Published at: 10/07/2026 01:24 PM

The process of identifying the bodies recovered after the double earthquake is carried out under international protocols with each procedure being carried out with technical rigor and full traceability, said the deputy director of the National Service of Medicine and Forensic Sciences (SENAMECF), Dr. Sinuhe Villalobos.

“We cannot deliver a body without having full certainty that it corresponds to the person being sought,” he said.

Villalobos explained that, when a victim arrives recognized by their relatives, a forensic survey is carried out, the cause of death is determined and the EV‑14 certificate is issued and, subsequently, the family processes the death certificate to proceed with the burial in the cemetery of their choice. “If the body is identified, its name is given, an autopsy is performed by law and the cause of death is certified,” he said.

He explained that in unidentified cases, the forensic doctor records sex, approximate age, height, injuries and general characteristics and, then, the anthropological, dental and genetic study begins. Villalobos indicated that anthropologists interview family members and compare tattoos, scars, prostheses, metal plates and morphological features, while dentists prepare a odontogram with cavities, crowns, prostheses and missing pieces. “Special identification must be crossed: anthropology, dentistry and genetics must match,” he said.

In terms of genetics, samples are taken from the canine —due to their high concentration of DNA—or, as the case may be, from nails or bone tissue and, in addition, each body receives a photographic record and specific numbering to ensure traceability. Villalobos clarified that there is no mass grave and that each victim is in an urn and an individual niche. “Each body has its identified bag and study codes to minimize any errors,” he said.

The Venezuelan State maintains a permanent deployment of forensic doctors, anthropologists, dentists, geneticists, officials of the Public Ministry and the Civil Registry, who work around the clock to accompany family members, expedite procedures and ensure that each body is treated individually and in accordance with international standards.

Villalobos thanked the solidarity of those who came to the Bello Monte headquarters with water and food to support the staff. “We're going to be here until we identify each and every one of the bodies that come in,” he said.

Mazo News Team