Venezuela: the largest exodus in recent American history

Venezuela

I could start by talking about this tropical country, exposing all its natural beauties. A country located in the north of South America. 

A country with a tropical climate, with Amazon rainforest, white-sand beaches, and crystal clear waters, with snow-capped mountains. Today I could talk about its wonderful gastronomy, its smiling and colorful people. It could be an invitation to know this magical country. However, today I am here to tell you the sad story that my country is going through. Because yes, I am Venezuelan, part of a significant number of citizens who had to leave the country.

And it is that the number of Venezuelans who have left the Latin country is the second in number after Syria. That’s right, the Syrian refugee crisis is well known around the world. So far, 13 million Syrians have fled their homes to save their lives.

The Emigration

But let’s go back to the issue that brought us here today, at the end of 2020, it was estimated that 6.5 million Venezuelans would have left their country. Most of these Venezuelans have emigrated to Latin American and Caribbean countries, logically due to their geographical proximity.

Many families have been dismembered to survive an unparalleled economic crisis. At least, one of the members of the Venezuelan families has had to leave the country, to work and send money to their relatives who remain in the country. Institutional violence, the political crisis, and a continuous violation of human rights by the regime that has held power since 1999 have managed to generate the largest exodus in recent American history. While it is true that the displaced crisis has worsened in recent years, from around 2002 people began to leave Venezuela due to the growing crisis.

Chavism

Is a long time since Venezuela has been at the hands of Chavism, a movement whose name originates from the then leader of the project, Hugo Chavéz. It is impossible to understand in a few lines what has happened, to one of the richest countries in Latin America. With the largest oil reserves in the world, the booming oil industry in 1999, gas reserves, gold, bauxite, among other natural resources. But the destruction has not stopped since day one of the beginnings of the late Hugo Chavéz in power and continues today at the hands of Nicolás Maduro, current Chavista ruler.

A movement that began with a coup d’état orchestrated by this military man, Hugo Chavéz, and that later would lead to democratic and free elections won in 1998. The ideology of Chavism is an amorphous object and difficult to explain. With a marked authoritarian character and an aberrant submission to Cuba, they make it not only difficult to frame, but also to understand. As we know, the Cuban Revolution has been in power for 62 years, with a left-wing movement that assumed power in an authoritarian manner, which has led to the destruction of this Caribbean island.

Leaving Venezuela

Stories of Venezuelans leaving their country across its borders are often sad and fraught with danger. With poverty above 96%, it is difficult to think of a healthy and orderly emigration. The poverty, that before Chavismo reached approximately 44%. Desolate stories of Venezuelans can be found walking through the Colombian moorlands without coats, with children and a suitcase, to try to reach other destinations in South America, such as Peru, Ecuador, Chile, or Argentina. Or of little boats that are shipwrecked in the Caribbean Sea trying to reach the coasts of the islands closest to Venezuela.

In many cases, these people do not have an identity passport, which makes the insertion of this migrant into the host country’s system much more difficult. And it is that the Venezuelan State does not guarantee the identity of its citizens even though it is declared in its Constitution. Delays and exorbitant payments (due to corruption) of the identity paper make it very difficult for people who cannot even afford to feed their family well in one day.

With a monthly minimum wage that does not reach the value of one (1) US dollar, the highest inflation in the world of 3.684%, and a dollarized economy, it is almost impossible to think that Venezuelans will not leave their country en masse. Besides all this alarming data, there is the fact that Nicolás Maduro is the only president in office who has been accused of crimes against humanity. Report that was carried out by a UN commission and released in 2020.

But with all this terrifying data, what is the international community and relevant institutions like the UN doing? Not much has changed in Venezuela, neighboring countries are the ones that have perceived the Venezuelan crisis the most. The greatest weight has fallen on Colombia, the neighboring country has received most of the Venezuelan migrants, with the creation of refugee camps it has been supported by UNHCR. Different countries have contributed money for humanitarian aid, through different organizations. However, what reaches Venezuela is minimal, since there is corruption and an effort to cause the greatest possible suffering to the already battered Venezuelan population.

The Venezuelan conflict still needs to be resolved, so the departure of Venezuelans will continue to occur, with each day that the Chavist regime remains in the hands of Nicolas Maduro now, this terrible conflict that afflicts the entire American continent will not be resolved. More sad and heartbreaking stories will continue to be read.

I am grateful to MozartCultures for allowing me to bring you this short story on the situation of Venezuelan migrants.

Sources:

VENEZUELA: CRISIS DE REFUGIADOS Y MIGRANTES | Fundación ACNUR Argentina

https://www.acnur.org/situacion-en-venezuela.html

https://www.vozdeamerica.com/venezuela/desplazamiento-de-venezolanos-superara-siria-preve-estudio

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chavismo