In a hopeful scene, elements of the Mexican Army managed to rescue alive a child of approximately nine years old who remained trapped in the rubble of a collapsed structure in the municipality of Vargas, state of La Guaira, Venezuela, during the humanitarian aid work that Mexico maintains in that country after the devastating earthquakes registered this week.

The Secretariat of National Defense in Mexico reported that the rescue occurred during the early hours of June 28, when personnel from the “Yumare” Humanitarian Aid Group responded to an emergency call to help people trapped in a collapsed building on Corales Avenue.

According to the agency, a specialized cell from the Emergency Response Battalion managed to locate the minor using the international “call and listen” technique, with the fist raised to request absolute silence, a procedure used by urban search and rescue (USAR) teams to detect survivors in confined spaces.

Once located, the Mexican rescuers carried out an uninterrupted operation of approximately six hours, which included cutting, penetration and controlled removal of debris to extract the child without putting his integrity at risk.

After being released, the minor received immediate attention from a cell of the Mexican Army Health Service, which provided him with first aid before transferring him to the Victim Concentration Area installed in the military camp in the municipality of Vargas, where he continues under medical observation.

The participation of the Mexican Army adds to the coordinated effort between Venezuelan authorities and international rescue teams sent by various countries to support the search for survivors, medical care and distribution of humanitarian aid.

According to official reports from the Venezuelan Government and international organizations, the earthquakes caused dozens of collapsed buildings, severe damage to hospital infrastructure, cuts in basic services and thousands of displaced people, which is why rescue operations continue in the most affected areas.