The Department of Homeland Security denied on Wednesday night the death of Luis Manuel Rivas Velásquez, a Venezuelan influencer known as “Luis Frío,” detained at the center known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”
“Rivas Velásquez fainted and was taken to the hospital out of precaution. ICE takes its commitment to protecting those in its custody very seriously. We ensure illegal aliens have access to adequate medical care,” said DHS’s assistant secretary for public affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, in a written statement.
McLaughlin responded to the claims of Rivas Velásquez’s family members, who alleged they had received information about his death.
On Thursday morning, upon learning of the authorities’ response, Rivas Velásquez’s sister and girlfriend demanded in a public post on their Instagram accounts that they be provided with “proof of life.”
“If the information given to us this morning is false and he is well and alive, I apologize to everyone and the U.S. government, we just want proof of life, and for them to stop playing and not speculate on things that are not true! We want good news, please,” they wrote.
In a statement later Thursday, attorneys for Velásquez confirmed he was alive and back at “Alligator Alcatraz” after he’d been taken to Kendall Hospital.
Velásquez’s girlfriend said his immigration attorney was able to confirm with authorities that he was transported to the hospital, but she didn’t have details about what happened.
The Medical Examiner’s Offices in Miami-Dade and Collier counties told NBC6 Thursday they didn’t have any deceased under that name.
Luis Frío / Instagram
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