Trujillo schools report mass intoxication of students and teachers

Mass intoxications involving students and teachers have been reported at two educational institutions in Trujillo state, Venezuela. The incidents occurred simultaneously at Liceo Las Palmas in the Andrés Bello municipality and the Colegio San Vicente de Paúl in the Valera municipality.

Those affected reported symptoms including dizziness, nausea, and respiratory tract irritation. In Valera, approximately 50 students were reportedly affected. Emergency responders, including Civil Protection, firefighters, and Fundasalud personnel, managed the evacuation and provided pre-hospital care. The Defensoría del Pueblo has initiated inter-institutional actions to investigate the causes and monitor the medical care of the minors involved.

Political tensions have emerged following the reports. José Reyes, the mayor of Andrés Bello, issued a statement attributing the incidents to a “sabotage agenda orchestrated by fascist sectors of the extreme right,” though official investigations into the biological or chemical cause of the intoxication are still ongoing.