Victor Oquendo

Victor Oquendo is a correspondent for ABC News based in Miami. A versatile journalist, he’s covered some of the biggest stories in Florida and around the world. Oquendo was at the site of the tragic building collapse in Surfside, Florida, moments after it fell, leading the network’s coverage on the following weeks-long search, rescue efforts and investigation. He was also on the scene of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, as students were still running for their lives and desperate parents were searching for their children. When Russia invaded Ukraine, he traveled throughout neighboring Poland, documenting the harrowing journey of Ukrainian migrants as they fled the war-torn country and started new lives in a foreign land. In March of 2024, Oquendo reported his first story for “20/20” on ABC and Hulu. He sat down for an exclusive interview with a man convicted of the murder of a Florida college student. Oquendo has covered every major hurricane for ABC News for almost a decade. He reported from Florida as hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated the state in 2024 and reported on Hurricane Idalia in 2023. In 2022, his team was the first to visit Sanibel Island after Hurricane Ian completed its destructive path. Oquendo’s contribution to the coverage of Hurricane Michael earned him and the network an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Breaking News Coverage. He has also covered tornadoes and blizzards. In 2017, Oquendo reported live from Puerto Rico as Hurricane Maria made landfall, ravaging the island. Ever since, he’s reported multiple developing stories from San Juan, most notably the 2019 protests against Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló, who eventually resigned from office. He also followed the crisis in Venezuela along the border with Colombia and an earthquake in Guatemala that took the lives of more than 100 people. Prior to joining ABC News, he worked at WPLG-TV as a reporter and anchor for their evening newscasts. He helped lead reporting when the United States restored diplomatic relations with Cuba, traveling to the island to cover Pope Francis’ and former President Obama’s visits. Oquendo started his broadcasting career in sports, working as the weekend sports anchor, covering all of South Florida’s professional and college teams, reporting on the Miami Heat during the LeBron James era, including runs to the NBA Finals in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Oquendo graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in broadcast journalism and international studies.