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.