Cuban pitcher who experienced the earthquakes in Venezuela confirms that all his compatriots hired there are safe

The pitcher from Matanzas, Armando Dueñas, who plays in the Major Professional Baseball League of Venezuela, confirmed to Cuban sports journalist Pavel Otero that all the Cuban players contracted in the Andean country are safe and did not suffer any harm from the two earthquakes that shook the central-northern region of the country on June 24.

Dueñas was inside the La Guaira Stadium when the tragedy occurred, an experience he described as "the most unpleasant of my life."

According to his account, he was shirtless in the clubhouse when his phone received a notification of a possible earthquake. "Immediately a piece of the stands fell very close to me, and everything started to shake. What can I tell you, Pavel,” he detailed.

"I ran out to the middle of the field, shirtless, just in my baseball pants, and when I looked up, I saw that the hotel where the families of the visiting team were staying had completely collapsed, brother," the pitcher recounted in WhatsApp messages to the journalist.

The pitcher, who plays with the Samanes de Aragua alongside fellow Cuban Yusniel Padrón, specified that none of his compatriots signed in the league were injured. "Thank God, nothing happened to me, but I'll never forget this," he added.

Dueñas also reported that he is organizing his return to Cuba through Valencia airport, the only available alternative following the indefinite closure of Maiquetía International Airport, whose runway has been destroyed. The San Sebastián fault runs directly beneath that infrastructure, exacerbating the structural damage.

The two earthquakes—just 39 seconds apart—had their epicenter in the state of Yaracuy and are considered the most powerful recorded in Venezuela in over a century. The state of La Guaira was declared a disaster zone, with over 100 buildings completely destroyed and more than 70,000 families affected.

The death toll at the closing of this edition ranges from 589 according to official figures from Nicolás Maduro's regime to 920 according to the National Assembly, with over 3,360 injured. The earthquakes also resulted in more than 302 recorded aftershocks, including one with a magnitude of 4.9 this Saturday.

In this context, at least 29 Cubans are reported missing in areas of La Guaira such as Caraballeda, Catia La Mar, and Los Corales, while two Cuban children remain unaccounted for following the earthquakes.

The Cuban medical mission in Venezuela confirmed that all its collaborators are safe and have joined the rescue efforts in the most affected areas.

In the sports realm, the Major Professional Baseball League has permanently suspended its 2026 season, which had completed 53 out of the 70 scheduled games per team, and has committed to honoring the financial contracts of all players, including Cuban players, until the date when the regular season would have concluded.