Longing for a Fallen Country: An Insight into the Venezuelan Refugee Crisis
“Saudade” — a deep nostalgia for something that no longer exists — is how María Luisa Paúl, an undergraduate student at the University of Notre Dame, describes the complex feelings of Venezuelans who have left their home country. Paúl describes a shared experience of Venezuelan diasporans who were forced to leave the country for political, social, and economic reasons out of their control. Now, they dream of life in a Venezuela that no longer exists.
Venezuela is a country in crisis. The escalating political unrest was exacerbated when Nicolás Maduro assumed the presidency after the death of his predecessor, Hugo Chávez in 2013. Shortly thereafter, the country was met with a crippling economic crisis. Venezuela faces widespread supply shortages, as well as a 15,000% inflation rate. This hyperinflation has caused the prices of basic goods to skyrocket- a carton of eggs sells for around $150, and a box of pasta can cost up to $300. Maduro has a track record of denying and imprisoning political opposition, as well. The 2018 presidential election was considered illegitimate for two primary reasons: Maduro prohibited the opposition from being represented, and the opposition refused to participate because of the absence of a free and fair election. After the election was not recognized as legitimate by both Venezuela’s National Assembly and international actors, Juan Guaído declared himself the acting President of Venezuela in an attempt to alleviate the power vacuum that had been caused by the fraudulent election. Despite Guaído’s assumption of the presidency, the military forces in Venezuela remain loyal to Maduro, making it difficult for Guaído to execute any real power in the country.
The crisis in Venezuela has compelled almost 5 million Venezuelans to flee the country in the past few years. According to the UNHCR, Venezuelans are the largest group of asylum-seekers worldwide. The greatest number of Venezuelan migrants reside in Colombia, some of whom inhabit various refugee camps in the border region. Recently, the UNHCR constructed a new camp on the Brazilian border capable of housing up to 6 thousand Venezuelan refugees. In addition to harsh conditions, migrants face xenophobia from members of the countries in which they seek asylum.
Venezuelans now make up the fifth-largest immigrant group from South America in the U.S., with the number of Venezuelan immigrants rising every year. That being said, the United States has a complex relationship with the Latin-American country. The U.S. officially recognizes Guaído as the legitimate president of Venezuela, along with most major countries (Russia and China being a few notable exceptions). The federal government has simultaneously provided humanitarian aid to Venezuelans and levied sanctions on pro-Maduro companies and individuals in the country. Though the goal of weakening Maduro’s hold on Venezuela is well-meaning, Venezuelan citizens are caught in the crossfire, and Americans are calling for a new approach.
It is important to remember that the Venezuelan refugee crisis is not just about the numbers; it is about the individuals whose lives have been impacted. Maria Luisa Paúl, for example, moved to the United States from Venezuela on a student visa in 2017. Paúl shares that “in Venezuela, education has suffered greatly” and in order to pursue her aspirations, she had no choice but to leave the country. For now, her family remains in Venezuela, but they have explored various options to take if the situation continues to worsen. As an aspiring journalist, Paúl is especially critical of the media censorship that occurs in Venezuela under Maduro’s administration. To return, she says the dictatorship must end- “ I can’t go back to a country with no opportunities and media censorship.” Paúl’s own saudade for the country that she left is met with hope that the crisis in Venezuela will improve with time.
