The Portuguese Joint Operational Force (FOCON) has been leading a complex rescue operation in Venezuela for over 170 hours, attempting to extract Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, a 44-year-old security guard trapped under a collapsed shopping center since the June 24 earthquakes. The operation, now spanning more than seven days, has drawn international attention as teams battle against structural collapse, dehydration, and time itself to save a man who shouted "Ronaldo, Portugal" when he first heard Portuguese voices through the rubble.
Why This Matters
• Portuguese expertise on display: The 64-member FOCON team—comprising personnel from GNR, ANEPC, Lisbon Fire Brigade, and INEM—has established contact and is providing hydration and medication to keep Hernán alive.
• Diplomatic significance: The rescue effort in La Guaira, home to a significant Portuguese and Lusophone community with deep historical ties dating back centuries, reinforces Portugal's humanitarian reach across the Atlantic and maintains the bond with Portuguese descendants in Venezuela.
• Against-the-odds survival: With over 2,295 confirmed deaths, this operation represents one of the few remaining hopes in the disaster zone.
The Moment Contact Was Made
Hugo Costa, commander of the Portuguese contingent, described the breakthrough moment with visible emotion. Five days after the twin earthquakes leveled parts of Catia La Mar, a former tourist destination now transformed into an open-air cemetery, his team detected signs of life beneath the parking structure of the Galerías Playa Grande shopping center.
When operatives called out, a voice responded from the darkness: "Ronaldo, Portugal." Whether Hernán is Portuguese, of Portuguese descent, or simply invoking the country's most famous export as a plea for help remains unclear. What matters, Costa emphasized, is that he is alive and someone needs to bring him home. "We will not give up, whether it takes a day or a week," the commander told reporters on site.
The reference to Cristiano Ronaldo has become a rallying cry. A Portuguese flag now flies at the entrance to the collapsed parking garage, positioned so that if—when—Hernán emerges, he will see the banner of the nation whose name he cried out across concrete and steel.
The Structural Challenge
Hernán is trapped inside a nine-story structure that has partially collapsed into itself, creating what rescue engineers describe as a "house of cards" scenario. Any miscalculation could trigger a cascading failure, burying both the victim and the rescuers. The parking structure where Hernán worked as a security guard was swallowed when the earth opened during the tremors, leaving an estimated 140 tons of debris piled above him.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, who has been posting regular updates on social media, explained the core challenge: the initial tunnel dug by rescuers suffered multiple collapses, forcing teams to stabilize it while simultaneously excavating a second access route. "The entire structure remains at risk of collapse, and we do not rule out returning to the original tunnel if conditions allow," Bukele wrote early Thursday morning.
Chilean fire chief Cristian Vera put it more bluntly: "The probability that a failure could occur, that an accident could happen, and that someone could die if something goes wrong is 80%." That statistic forces rescuers to pause operations whenever even minor vibrations are detected—whether from aftershocks, wind, or falling debris.
Progress Measured in Centimeters
Progress is painstakingly slow. Teams are advancing at an average rate of 40 centimeters per hour, using handheld chisels and hammers to avoid the mechanical vibrations that power tools would generate. The work is surgical, each stone and rebar section assessed before removal. Storm winds whipping through the area have shattered windows in nearby buildings, prompting officials to repeatedly expand the security perimeter.
What This Means for Portuguese Operations Abroad
This rescue highlights the scale and professionalism of Portugal's international disaster response capacity. The FOCON team arrived in Venezuela on June 27, just three days after the earthquakes, and immediately established a base in La Guaira, specifically chosen because of the region's substantial Portuguese and Lusophone population.
The team includes six search-and-rescue dogs and specialists in structural collapse scenarios. Their ability to maintain continuous contact with Hernán, provide him with fluids through narrow gaps, and monitor his medical condition remotely demonstrates the technical sophistication of Portugal's emergency services. Video footage shared by family members of the rescuers shows Portuguese operatives speaking calmly to Hernán in the darkness, giving instructions and reassurance.
Diogo Proença, himself a firefighter and the son of one of the Portuguese rescuers, posted a message of pride on social media: "This video shows the moment when Armando Maria and his team found Hernán, a survivor in the rubble. Congratulations to all Portuguese operatives, but obviously I want to highlight this achievement by my father. You are saving lives and bringing hope to those who have nothing left."
The Lisbon Fire Brigade emphasized the mission's core principle in a statement: "Because no one can be forgotten. No one is left behind."
International Collaboration Under Pressure
Portugal is not working alone. The rescue involves Costa Rica, Mexico, Chile, El Salvador, the United States, and Venezuelan national teams—over 3,000 international responders in total. The Galerías Playa Grande site has become a focal point for global attention, with dozens of onlookers, including Hernán's family, gathered behind military barriers as the operation unfolds.
According to available reports, the combined international effort has resulted in significant rescue operations from the rubble. With more than 6,460 people pulled from collapsed structures overall—most of them deceased—the window for finding survivors has all but closed. The critical 72-hour threshold passed days ago, making Hernán's survival exceptional.
Dehydration has claimed as many lives as the initial collapse. Temperatures in La Guaira hover near scorching levels, and the coastal winds provide little relief. Yet Hernán continues to respond when spoken to, a testament to both his resilience and the rescuers' ability to keep him hydrated through improvised channels in the rubble.
A Nation Watching and Waiting
The operation has become an emotional touchstone in both Venezuela and Portugal. On the streets around the collapse site, locals pray, film on mobile phones, and simply stand in silence, waiting for a resolution. The presence of the Portuguese flag has added a symbolic dimension—an emblem of hope planted in devastation.
Hugo Costa, the Portuguese commander, acknowledged that time is no longer the enemy—precision is. "What matters is returning him to his family," he said before returning to coordinate crew rotations. The stress of the operation requires constant cycling of personnel to maintain focus and avoid errors.
Hernán is believed to still be inside his security booth in the underground parking level, a small reinforced space that may have shielded him from the full weight of the collapse. If true, it would explain his survival, but it also means extracting him requires dismantling the structure around him without triggering the collapse of what remains above.
The Venezuelan government's latest count puts earthquake casualties at 2,295 dead and 11,267 injured, making it one of the deadliest seismic events in the region's recent history. The twin quakes on June 24, both exceeding magnitude 7, devastated coastal areas where building codes were poorly enforced.
For now, the rescue continues—chisel by chisel, stone by stone, hour by hour. Whether Hernán emerges alive will depend on structural luck, rescuer skill, and his own endurance. But for the Portuguese team that heard their country's name called from beneath the earth, abandoning him is not an option.
