In March, a family of seven returned to Venezuela after attempting to migrate to the U.S. due to the ongoing economic crisis in their home country, which has seen over 7.7 million Venezuelans leave since 2013. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted migrant aspirations towards the U.S., where many sought work permits and protection from deportation. However, since January, the U.S. government, under President Trump, has rescinded these protections and intensified deportations, aided by Venezuela’s President Maduro, who previously refused to take back deported citizens.
Recently, many deportees have faced worsening living conditions upon their return, exacerbated by triple-digit inflation and a currency crisis that has made basic necessities unaffordable. For instance, the monthly minimum wage in Venezuela is just $1.02, forcing people to juggle multiple jobs. This dire situation led Maduro to declare an “economic emergency.”
David Rodriguez is a case in point; after multiple attempts to migrate, he briefly lived in Mexico before returning home with substantial debt. Many deportees, like him, are seeking ways to manage their finances, often resorting to loan sharks, while dealing with extortion from local authorities. Pérez, who returned from Mexico, describes facing threats from government officials demanding bribes to allow her to operate her home business legally. The family’s struggle to make a living is compounded by the fear of extortion, with pervasive demands for money from law enforcement.
Ultimately, the dire economic conditions, the experience of deportation, and the frightening reality of returning to a country fraught with corruption and instability pose significant challenges for these returning migrants.
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