Brenda Marín Is the First Venezuelan Citizen Found in the Border Area of Arauca Thanks to Colombian Authorities’ Efforts. Photograph: Unit for the Search of Disappeared Persons.
Guacamaya, July 31, 2025. The remains of a Venezuelan woman were discovered in the Colombia–Venezuela border region of Arauca, twelve years after her disappearance. The body, identified as Brenda Marín, was found by Colombia’s Unit for the Search of Disappeared Persons (UBPD), which confirmed she had been kidnapped by Colombian guerrilla forces.
The Venezuelan citizen, originally from Apure state, went missing in 2012 at the age of 30 while attempting to cross the perilous Arauca border—an area riddled with illegal crossings and controlled by armed groups. Brenda’s family never stopped searching for her, and after more than a decade of uncertainty, they were finally able to say goodbye to their loved one thanks to the UBPD’s work.
“A dignified handover was carried out for the first Venezuelan person we’ve identified here in our territory,” said Elba Rocío Sánchez, coordinator of the Unit for the Search of Disappeared Persons. The agency’s investigation revealed that the woman had fallen into the hands of the FARC, a now-defunct guerrilla group that operated in the border zone, according to RCN Noticias.
Her daughter, Yailin Lara, shared with the media her family’s tireless efforts to find her mother. “Thanks to some of my mom’s companions who connected us with the Search Unit (…) I’m simply grateful—they took the time and helped us,” she said. Yailin also urged families facing similar situations to continue searching for their missing loved ones.
Brenda Marín’s kidnapping and death reflect the migration crisis faced by many Venezuelans, as well as the ongoing impact of armed conflict in the region. Despite the FARC’s dissolution following the 2016 peace accords, official estimates suggest that at least 25 people remain missing along the border, due to the presence of other armed groups and guerrilla dissidents.
