Venezuelan violinist Romina Rivera Cruz dies at age 9

Romina Rivera Cruz, a 9-year-old Venezuelan prodigy violinist, has passed away following a ten-day hospitalization in Acarigua, Portuguesa state. She had been battling cystic fibrosis, a chronic genetic condition affecting the lungs and digestive system.

Rivera Cruz was a member of the National Symphony of Children of Venezuela and gained international recognition in October 2025. During a visit to the Vatican, she performed as a soloist in the concert ‘Santos y Música para Todos’ before Pope Leo XIV, interpreting ‘Danzón No. 2’ by Arturo Márquez.

Following her death, her mother, Claribeth Cruz, has raised allegations of medical negligence. She claims that the hospital in Acarigua lacked the necessary supplies and that the medical staff were not sufficiently familiar with treating cystic fibrosis. The mother further alleged that the facility prevented the child's regular pulmonologist from participating in treatment decisions.