Venezuelan Diaspora in Colombia by Juancho Torres

Some Venezuelans have found cre... buying and selling currencies.

Some Venezuelans have found creative ways to use their devalued currency, now worth little more than paper. Richard Segovia, who arrived from Caracas to Cúcuta at the beginning of this year, is one such example. Since the bolívar's 81.27% devaluation in 2018, people like him have been making handbags and crafts with the bills to survive in Cúcuta, Colombia, as of February 22, 2018. The depreciation of the bolívar is due to various factors, including the oversupply of currency. To cover salary increases, the Venezuelan government has been financed by the Central Bank, flooding the market with bills and further decreasing their value. Today, bolívares are worth only 0.07 Colombian pesos (less than 1 US cent) in Cúcuta’s exchange houses, down from 0.80 pesos in January 2017. However, the issue goes beyond a currency exchange problem, as local traders admit they always maintain a profit margin when buying and selling currencies.

Venezuelans often bathe in the ...ent in this region of Colombia.

Venezuelans often bathe in the river near Cúcuta, Colombia, despite its contamination with raw sewage, as seen on February 24, 2018. Just a quarter-mile downstream from the official crossing point, young smugglers gather in the shade of tropical trees along the riverbank, waiting for work. Using motorcycles or animals, they spend day and night ferrying people across the border without proper documentation or transporting contraband brought over by hikers and cyclists to markets in central Cúcuta. Though they may appear harmless and disorganized, these smugglers operate under the control of a ruthless paramilitary group, as is common along the border. Within Cúcuta, about a dozen such groups dominate the area, with a reputation for violence, and paramilitary-related murders are frequent in this region of Colombia.

The Migrant Service Center, a p...e vulnerability they represent.

The Migrant Service Center, a place that welcomes Venezuelans and Colombians returnees who need shelter and food in Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia, October 24, 2019. Around 292,256 Venezuelans entered Colombia Through the department of La Guajira, about 1,458 people who were in a street situation have received shelter and food support. In this place the weather is inclement, there is no shade to escape the sun and the temperature, which can reach 38 degrees Celsius. As a rule, people entering CAI can only stay for 30 days, although Acnur staff says that in some cases they can be given extensions because of the vulnerability they represent.

Wladimir Cortez, 26, from Barin...ine, he will achieve his goals.

Wladimir Cortez, 26, from Barinas, Venezuela, arrived in Bogotá in July 2016 after a long journey through Valencia, Cúcuta, and Pamplona. He came seeking new opportunities as an artist and now works as a human statue on the streets. Forced to leave his family due to food shortages, the depreciation of the bolívar, and a lack of work, Wladimir shares a small space with two Venezuelan roommates who work at a carwash to send money back home. Since arriving, his street performances have captivated passersby, and he earns around 30,000 Colombian pesos per day in tips. Each week, he sends 70,000 pesos to his parents to help support his two daughters, who stayed behind with their mother in Barinas. Wladimir says he fled Venezuela because of the crisis: "It’s a humanitarian issue; people are starving, not because there’s nothing to buy, but because no one can afford it." He describes the impossible costs of basic goods in Venezuela, where a package of corn flour costs 25,000 bolívars, rice 5,000, and meat 7,000. He dreams of making a better life through his art and hard work, confident that with discipline, he will achieve his goals.

A Venezuelan refugee wearing a ...ing point for many Venezuelans.

A Venezuelan refugee wearing a jacket with the colors of the Venezuelan national flag taking care of the chill at on October 2, 2018 in Bogota, Colombia. A group of Venezuelans who fled their country due to the crisis, have set up tents behind a bus station in search of food and sleep. The informal camp, called 'El Bosque' has become the meeting point for many Venezuelans.

Venezuelan migrants and Colombi...squo;s 1,200-meter-long runway.

Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees living in extreme poverty at the old Maicao airport were seen in Maicao, Colombia, on October 28, 2022. Once a bustling airport with 11 weekly flights, including two international routes, the facility closed due to corruption and mismanagement. By 2013, its control tower and hangars had been demolished, and the surrounding neighborhoods witnessed its decline. Over time, thousands of Venezuelan and Colombian families, returning from Venezuela, began occupying the streets of Maicao and gradually took over the runway. It’s estimated that around 10,000 people now call this area home, with some 2,200 families settled along the airport’s 1,200-meter-long runway.

Is seen the hands of Venezuelan...shortages of food and medicine.

Is seen the hands of Venezuelans who are receiving food in a charity churches, trying to survive and escape from their country crisis in a Colombian-Venezuelan Border Town, Cucuta, Colombia on February 22, 2018. In the past two months there is a group of venezuelans have been sleeping on the garbage-strewn streets of Cúcuta, a sprawling and chaotic city on Colombia’s side of the border with Venezuela. Though they are in this terrible situation, they getting a free meals everyday in charity, they has no desire to return home to Venezuela. It is a view shared by thousands of her compatriots who have fled to Cúcuta, where the struggles of adapting to life in a new country can seem more attractive than the hunger and upheaval they endured back home. Venezuela is steeped in economic and political turmoil. Inflation last year surpassed 2,600 percent, according to opposition lawmakers, which has exacerbated severe shortages of food and medicine.

Venezuelan migrants receive foo...tter opportunities in Colombia.

Venezuelan migrants receive food at the Simon Bolivar Culture Foundation migrant center in Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia, on December 12, 2018. After walking 400 kilometers from the Venezuela-Colombia border, traveling on foot through mountainous roads, the center offers them shelter and meals for a few days. Here, migrants can rest and recover from their long and exhausting journey before continuing their search for better opportunities in Colombia.

A Venezuelan immigrant'...t they would have in Venezuela.

A Venezuelan immigrant's passport is seen at a bus terminal in Medellín, Colombia, on November 20, 2017, after a long journey from their home country in search of new job opportunities—selling souvenirs, working at car washes, or taking whatever work they can find on the streets. In cities like Medellín, it’s common to find Venezuelan professionals such as lawyers, doctors, administrators, and economists working informal, unskilled jobs. Despite being underpaid, often earning less than the regular salary and paid on a daily basis, these professionals find that even in these precarious conditions, their quality of life is still better than what they would have in Venezuela.

Venezuelans are seen on their w... with few options for survival.

Venezuelans are seen on their way back to their economically devastated country after the declaration of quarantine in Bogotá, Colombia, on April 7, 2020, as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19. The Colombian lockdown made it impossible for many Venezuelan migrants to earn a living, forcing them to return to their homeland despite the dire conditions there. The pandemic further complicated their already precarious situation, leaving them with few options for survival.

Venezuelan citizens residing in...for the presidential elections.

Venezuelan citizens residing in Colombia are seen as they attend the polls during the Venezuelan Election 2024 in the Palermo neighborhood of Bogota, Colombia, on July 28, 2024. In Colombia, home to the largest Venezuelan community abroad, six polling stations will open this Sunday for the presidential elections.

People of several areas of La G...n modern day society.

People of several areas of La Guajira, like in Uribia face difficulties due to the high volumes of garbage with which they must live everyday in Uribia, La Guajira, Colombia on October 20, 2019. La Guajira is a department located in a peninsula in North of Colombia. The population in this place is about 900,000 people of which 48% (440,000) are the indigenous Wayuu. This place in which culture is what stands out the most. But actually has a variety of problems, which one of them is plastic deposits in their desert. In this department contrasts the beauty and magic of places like Cabo de la Vela with the kilometers of garbage that surround cities like Maicao and Uribia, the pollution is one or the biggest growing problems in modern day society.

Venezuelan citizens residing in...h;4,369 and 1,225 respectively.

Venezuelan citizens residing in Colombia are seen attending the polls during the 2024 Venezuelan Election in the Palermo neighborhood of Bogotá, Colombia, on July 28, 2024. Colombia, home to the largest Venezuelan community abroad, has opened six polling stations for the presidential election. Despite the 2.8 million Venezuelans living in the country, only 7,012 are registered to vote. Polling stations have been set up in consulates across Barranquilla, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Riohacha, and Medellín. In Bogotá, the voting location has been moved to Colegio Técnico Palermo, with Bogotá and Cúcuta hosting the largest number of voters—4,369 and 1,225 respectively.

Thousands of Venezuelans cross ...ials, and, of course, gasoline.

Thousands of Venezuelans cross the Colombia-Venezuela border using "trochas"—illegal trails—into Colombia, or through the immigration post near Paraguachón in La Guajira department, as seen on November 30, 2019. Maicao is one of the hardest-hit municipalities in La Guajira due to the Venezuelan migration crisis. Local residents express desperation over rising insecurity, smuggling, and prostitution. Paraguachón, the main migration post, is just 12 kilometers from Maicao and two hours from Maracaibo, Venezuela's second-largest city. Each day, about 25,000 people enter Colombia, but only 1,400 pass through the official Paraguachón border post. The rest enter irregularly via various trails. These routes are used by Venezuelans to smuggle food, second-hand appliances, used clothing, tools, glassware, construction materials, and, of course, gasoline.

A Venezuelan migrant takes shel...king a better life in Colombia.

A Venezuelan migrant takes shelter with her young daughter at the Simon Bolivar Culture Foundation in Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia, on December 12, 2018. They have walked 400 kilometers from the Venezuela-Colombia border, navigating challenging mountainous roads. The foundation provides them with a place to rest and recuperate after their long and arduous journey, offering support to migrants seeking a better life in Colombia.

Thousands of Venezuelans are se...d by the Venezuelan government.

Thousands of Venezuelans are seeing entering to Colombia at the immigration check point on the Simón Bolívar Bridge in Cucuta, Colombia on February 24, 2018. Neighborhood of Villa del Rosario a Municipally of Cúcuta was once a busy and free flowing crossing point between Venezuela and Colombia. Now, under orders from Maduro, the bridge has been blockaded to prevent any vehicles from passing, while police and customs agents check the papers of those who cross by foot. Even here, a location actively monitored by law enforcement, the smuggling is obvious. Those crossing east into the Venezuelan town of San Antonio, tachira State are usually empty handed or just carrying a backpack. Those on the return path lug huge bags, often working in pairs just to carry the weight. Inside is everything from baby diapers to cooking oil to cigarettes all illegal imports, all much cheaper in Venezuela than in Colombia, The majority of contraband moves over the border at night and arrives at the Cúcuta market called Cenabustos in the early hours of the morning. Around 1am wood paneled trucks start pulling into large parking lots outside sprawling warehouses. They are filled with rice, citrus, onions, potatoes, plantains and any other kind of produce or commodity subsidized by the Venezuelan government.

MAICAO, LA GUAJIRA - COLOMBIA- ... vulnerability they represent.

MAICAO, LA GUAJIRA - COLOMBIA- OCTOBER 24: The Migrant Service Center, a place that welcomes Venezuelans and Colombians returnees who need shelter and food in Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia, October 24, 2019. Around 292,256 Venezuelans entered Colombia Through the department of La Guajira, about 1,458 people who were in a street situation have received shelter and food support. In this place the weather is inclement, there is no shade to escape the sun and the temperature, which can reach 38 degrees Celsius. As a rule, people entering CAI can only stay for 30 days, although Acnur staff says that in some cases they can be given extensions because of the vulnerability they represent.

Venezuelan migrants and Colombi...placed by the migration crisis.

Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees are seen struggling in critical conditions at the old Maicao airport in Colombia on October 28, 2022. Once a thriving hub with about 11 weekly flights, including two international routes, the airport was shut down due to political issues and corruption. By 2013, its control tower and hangars were demolished, leaving the area in disrepair. Thousands of families—both Venezuelans and Colombians who returned from Venezuela—have invaded the streets of Maicao, gradually taking over the former airport runway. It is estimated that around 10,000 people have made this place their home in search of a new life, with approximately 2,200 families living along the 1,200-meter length of the runway. The dire conditions reflect the ongoing challenges faced by those displaced by the migration crisis.

People are seen in Paraguach&am...fully accessible to the public.

People are seen in Paraguachón, Colombia, on October 26, 2022, after the border reopened following the restoration of diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Colombia with the election of Gustavo Petro. Residents of La Guajira in the Zulia state, who had maintained legal economic exchanges despite the border closure, remain unaffected by the commercial reopening. Heavy cargo vehicles are now permitted to transit between Cúcuta and Táchira, with operations occurring daily from 6:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., and customs processing taking place in Guarero. The reopening includes pedestrian crossings and heavy load transport in Paraguachón. This is expected to be a progressive process, evolving alongside technological advancements until the border is fully accessible to the public.

Thousands of Venezuelans cross ...rials and, of course, gasoline.

Thousands of Venezuelans cross the Colombo-Venezuelan border through "trochas" -- illegal trails -- into Colombia or either by the immigration post near Paraguachon, La Guajira department, Colombia, November 30, 2019. Maicao is one of the largest and most beaten municipalities in La Guajira by the Venezuelan migration crisis. Its inhabitants say they are desperate for the increase in insecurity, invasion, smuggling and prostitution. Paraguachon, which is the migratory post, is only 12 kilometers from Maicao and two hours from Maracaibo, the second largest city in Venezuela. Every day 25,000 people enter, but only 1,400 pass through the Paraguachon border post. The others enter irregularly through several trails. Through the trails, Venezuelans smuggle food, second-hand appliances, used clothing, tools, glassware, construction materials and, of course, gasoline.

Venezuelan migrants and Colombi...eters that the runway measures.

Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees who survive in critical conditions of misery at the old Maicao airport are seen at Maicao, Colombia on October 28, 2022. The Maicao airport was thriving, it received about 11 weekly flights, including 2 international ones, but politicking and corruption ended up closing it. Neighboring neighborhoods witnessed the demolition of its control tower and hangars in 2013. More than thousands of families (Venezuelans and Colombians) who returned to Colombia from Venezuela invaded the streets of Maicao and little by little they took over the track. As the crow flies, it is estimated that there are 10,000 people who made this place their home to start a new life, and some 2,200 families live along the 1,200 meters that the runway measures.

Venezuelan migrants is seen in ...tter opportunities in Colombia.

Venezuelan migrants is seen in a migrant shelter in Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia, on December 12, 2018. After walking 400 kilometers from the Venezuela-Colombia border, traveling on foot through mountainous roads, the center offers them shelter and meals for a few days. Here, migrants can rest and recover from their long and exhausting journey before continuing their search for better opportunities in Colombia.

Venezuelans are seen making the... with few options for survival.

Venezuelans are seen making their way back to their economically devastated country after the declaration of quarantine in Bogotá, Colombia, on April 7, 2020. The COVID-19 lockdown in Colombia has made it impossible for many Venezuelans to earn a living, forcing them to return home despite the dire conditions they would face. The pandemic has further complicated their already precarious situation, leaving them with few options for survival.

People are seen in Paraguachón, Colombia, on October 26, 2022, following the reopening of the border after diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Colombia were restored with the election of Gustavo Petro. Residents of La Guajira in the Zulia state, who maintained legal economic exchanges even with the border closed, remain unaffected by the commercial reopening. Heavy cargo vehicles are now allowed to move between Cúcuta and Táchira, with operations taking place daily from 6:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., and customs processing occurring in Guarero. The pedestrian crossing, heavy cargo transport, and overall reopening are already active in Paraguachón. This will be a progressive process, advancing alongside technological improvements until the border is fully accessible to the public.

In a desperate way Venezuelans ...y to solve its economic crisis.

In a desperate way Venezuelans need to sell hair to survive, got some money to buy a bus ticket, food or whatever they need in this terrible situation, some of them are selling the hair to feed their kids, with a shaved head underneath, adding that wigmakers now walk the plazas of Cúcuta where many Venezuelans congregate, wearing signs advertising that they give cash for hair. The going rate in the border town for women’s hair is 30,000 pesos, or about USD$10, less than a third of the price in other places in the Country in Cucuta, Colombia on February 22, 2018. Inflation is so rampant some experts say it ran above 4,000% last year that it has devoured people's salaries, with one dollar fetches about 191,000 bolivars, To patch the inflation problem, the Venezuelan government has repeatedly increased the monthly minimum wage, but prices have risen faster, and the bolivar has plunged further. Venezuelans are starving amid economic crisis, food shortages, Venezuela tries a cryptocurrency to solve its economic crisis.

Thousands of Venezuelans are se...ers of those who cross by foot.

Thousands of Venezuelans are seeing entering to Colombia at the immigration check point on the Simón Bolívar Bridge in Cucuta, Colombia on February 24, 2018. Neighborhood of Villa del Rosario a Municipally of Cúcuta was once a busy and free flowing crossing point between Venezuela and Colombia. Now, under orders from Maduro, the bridge has been blockaded to prevent any vehicles from passing, while police and customs agents check the papers of those who cross by foot.

Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees who survive in critical conditions of misery at the old Maicao airport are seen at Maicao, Colombia on October 28, 2022. The Maicao airport was thriving, it received about 11 weekly flights, including 2 international ones, but politicking and corruption ended up closing it. Neighboring neighborhoods witnessed the demolition of its control tower and hangars in 2013. More than thousands of families (Venezuelans and Colombians) who returned to Colombia from Venezuela invaded the streets of Maicao and little by little they took over the track. As the crow flies, it is estimated that there are 10,000 people who made this place their home to start a new life, and some 2,200 families live along the 1,200 meters that the runway measures.

The Migrant Service Center, a place that welcomes Venezuelans and Colombians returnees who need shelter and food in Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia, October 24, 2019. Around 292,256 Venezuelans entered Colombia Through the department of La Guajira, about 1,458 people who were in a street situation have received shelter and food support. In this place the weather is inclement, there is no shade to escape the sun and the temperature, which can reach 38 degrees Celsius. As a rule, people entering CAI can only stay for 30 days, although Acnur staff says that in some cases they can be given extensions because of the vulnerability they represent.

People are seen in Paraguachón, Colombia, on October 26, 2022, following the reopening of the border after diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Colombia were restored with the election of Gustavo Petro. Residents of La Guajira in the Zulia state, who maintained legal economic exchanges even with the border closed, remain unaffected by the commercial reopening. Heavy cargo vehicles are now allowed to move between Cúcuta and Táchira, with operations taking place daily from 6:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., and customs processing occurring in Guarero. The pedestrian crossing, heavy cargo transport, and overall reopening are already active in Paraguachón. This will be a progressive process, advancing alongside technological improvements until the border is fully accessible to the public.

People are seen after the borde...etely accessible to the public.

People are seen after the border reopened after diplomatic relations between both countries were restored following the election of Gustavo Petro in Paraguachon, Colombia on October 26, 2022. The residents of La Guajira, in the state of Zulia, where legal economic exchange was maintained with the border closed, are unaffected by the commercial reopening of the Venezuela-Colombia border. On the Paraguayan border, the movement of heavy cargo vehicles carrying freight, which is now permitted between Cucuta and Tachira. Every day from 6:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., the units transit, and customs processing takes place in Guarero. The pedestrian crossing, the heavy load, and the reopening are already present in Paraguachon. This will be a progressive process that will advance along with the technological tables until there is a border that is completely accessible to the public.

Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees who survive in critical conditions of misery at the old Maicao airport are seen at Maicao, Colombia on October 28, 2022. The Maicao airport was thriving, it received about 11 weekly flights, including 2 international ones, but politicking and corruption ended up closing it. Neighboring neighborhoods witnessed the demolition of its control tower and hangars in 2013. More than thousands of families (Venezuelans and Colombians) who returned to Colombia from Venezuela invaded the streets of Maicao and little by little they took over the track. As the crow flies, it is estimated that there are 10,000 people who made this place their home to start a new life, and some 2,200 families live along the 1,200 meters that the runway measures.

Diego Armando Figueroa, Chef an... of all kinds while they adapt.

Diego Armando Figueroa, Chef and Leader for the Venezuelan community, "The Chamo" as they know him in San Javier in the Comuna 13 of Medellin he arrived a year and four months ago and since then he has been dedicated to collect aid's like clothe, medicines and anything what helps his people in Medellin, Colombia on November 20, 2017. "Help me to help for Venezuela" is the name of its movement of social work without Profit, so far they have benefited more than 350 people through the donations they have organized. This vast majority of aid is not for poor people, or the street, but professionals, middle class people who change their lives and now need help of all kinds while they adapt.

Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees who survive in critical conditions of misery at the old Maicao airport are seen at Maicao, Colombia on October 28, 2022. The Maicao airport was thriving, it received about 11 weekly flights, including 2 international ones, but politicking and corruption ended up closing it. Neighboring neighborhoods witnessed the demolition of its control tower and hangars in 2013. More than thousands of families (Venezuelans and Colombians) who returned to Colombia from Venezuela invaded the streets of Maicao and little by little they took over the track. As the crow flies, it is estimated that there are 10,000 people who made this place their home to start a new life, and some 2,200 families live along the 1,200 meters that the runway measures.

A Venezuelan woman cries during...t 20, 2018 at Bogota, Colombia.

A Venezuelan woman cries during a protest, organized by the Venezuela’s opposition residents in Colombia against a “fraudulent election and illegitimate process” it says is stacked in favor of President Nicolas Maduro, on August 20, 2018 at Bogota, Colombia.

Thousands of Venezuelans arrive...han professionals in Venezuela.

Thousands of Venezuelans arrive everyday to Colombia, some of them without any money, any work, In this picture is seen a old man tired, trying to sleep at the chairs from the bus terminal in Medellin, Colombia on November 20, 2017. After a long trip from their country looking for new job opportunities selling souvenirs, working in a car wash or whatever comes on the streets, The common denominator today in the streets of Colombia, especially in the cities like Medellin is to find Lawyers, Doctors, Administrators, Economists, or different professionals from Venezuela. The vast majority of these citizens work in informality in unskilled jobs, in very unequal working situations, since they are only get paid per day an less than the regular salary, Professionals know that even working informally they have a better quality of life than professionals in Venezuela.

Juancho Torres

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