Months after two catastrophic earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, Antonella Molina and her nephew Pedro continue their search for 18-year-old Andrés Molina, who has been missing since the disaster. The family, along with a group of friends, distributes flyers and canvasses the rubble-strewn streets of La Guaira, a coastal area devastated by the back-to-back tremors.
Andrés is among tens of thousands believed to be missing, a figure that sharply contrasts with the government's estimate of 1,500. Antonella and other relatives recovered the bodies of Andrés' mother and brother from the collapsed remains of their 10-story apartment building in La Guaira. The building, which once housed over 30 people, showed no sign of Andrés, nor the backpack he habitually carried.
Neighbors have reported seeing Andrés wandering through the destruction, collecting scrap metal, which fuels the family's hope that he may have survived. "There are a lot of things that give us hope, and one of those is love," Antonella said.
The Venezuelan government has stated that its response to the earthquakes was swift and that its statistics are "rigorously verified." However, these figures are widely questioned by those on the ground. The family of Andrés has expressed a lack of faith in authorities, leading them to take matters into their own hands.
"We've never had support from the government to help us find the people disappeared. Never," Antonella stated. She is resolute in continuing the search independently until Andrés is found.
In the initial days following the earthquakes, neighbors told the family they had seen Andrés with what appeared to be a head injury. Despite checking shelters, hospitals, and morgues, there was no news. The family then turned to distributing flyers with his photograph. While calls reporting sightings came in, often placing him near a golf course, park, or restaurant, Andrés was never found at these locations. Descriptions from people who claimed to have seen him, including attempts to feed cats, his favorite animal, have also provided conflicting information. A police report of seeing him collecting scrap material nearby further bolstered their optimism.
During a recent search, about 15 friends and relatives walked through the damaged streets, accompanied by the sound of ongoing construction equipment. Antonella approached locals and construction crews, seeking any information about her nephew. While some reported sightings, others, particularly those who mentioned tattoos, indicated it was not Andrés.
The search has been complicated by a long-standing family dispute between Andrés' parents, which has kept them apart for years. Andrés' father has been involved in the search efforts.
Pedro Molina, who lives six hours away and had only communicated with Andrés via WhatsApp prior to the earthquake, expressed a desire for his cousin to know he is not alone. "We don't know how he must feel if he is alive," Pedro said.
Despite persistent efforts, the search often concludes with a lack of concrete answers. Antonella has begun to suspect that Andrés may not wish to be found, noting that flyers bearing his image have sometimes been found damaged, with his face torn.
"At the end of each search, I always feel anger, helplessness, pain, sadness. Even despair," Antonella said. "Because it’s so many days, so much effort, so many hours walking, searching, asking questions. And we end up with the same answers. They saw him, they saw him, they saw him. But not having him present in our arms has been a very hard blow." She remains committed to finding her nephew, stating, "I have to continue until I find my nephew."