Social Issues In Venezuela

The southern American country, Venezuela is experiencing a drastic migration into its neighbor countries, particularly Colombia. The citizens of Venezuela are suffering from a shortage of food, clean water, basic medicines and human rights. As the Venezuelans migrate to Colombia to their better lives, they undergo a stage of liminality while Colombia perceives as the rescuer.

In Venezuela, the borders enclose information that are permitted to come in and out of the country as long as it is approved by the government. This contributes to how the government “abuse[s] its powers to regulate media” (Human Rights Watch). The government has achieved this by “work[ing] aggressively to reduce the number of dissenting media outlets” (Human Rights Watch).

They are leaving their home behind, and losing a part of themselves, their identity. As they enter a new environment, they readjust their lives to the situation. Moreover, once arriving to Colombia, the Venezuelans are treated differently. “Migrants are verbally abused by some Colombians who refuse them work when they hear their accents” (Cobbs, Palanco). Their accents are part of their identity, and this is what distinguishes them. As a consequence, they are discriminated against by the locals. Thus, damaging and questioning their identity. They enter a state of liminality, where they no longer part of the Venezuela community, yet they are also separated from the Colombia community. Another reason why they are segregated is because the Colombian natives marked the migrants to have a corrupt sigma. “In Maicao, locals also worry about an increase in crime and support police efforts to clear parks and sidewalks” (Cobbs, Palanco). The Venezuelan migrants are seen as pathogens to the Colombia community by the locals. Hence the locals treating the Venezuelans as inferior. Making it difficult for them to obtain a job, purchase groceries, or even find a place to live. Those who cannot find shelter are forced to live on the streets; therefore, increasing the poverty line in Colombia. A connection can be built with Stern’s idea of immigrants being represented as

Although the government is providing assistances for migrants, the aid is limited and different compared to those that are granted to the natives. To be more specific on the type of assistances, “Colombia is letting the migrants access public health care and send their children to state schools” (Cobbs, Palanco). Adding on to the benefits, Colombia is offering jobs to Venezuelans. Although it is difficult for migrants to obtain a job, for previously stated reasons, there are some Colombian companies that are willing to give migrants an opportunity. “On the border bridge, several Venezuelans employed by Colombian travel agencies hawk bus tickets” (Otis). These benefits, however, contributes to the migrants’ liminal identity. This reshapes their identity as they enter the country to feel as if they resemble one of the natives, yet they still remain unable to gain a legal citizenship and all the advantages that come along with it. Overall this argument correlates with Gonzales’ argument in Lives in Limbo, where the immigrants refer as the dreamers, and are stuck in a long-term liminality. The status of being “illegal” that overshadows them, is what Gonzales recognizes as the “master status.” By accepting the refugees and providing them with aids, the government is acting on a performance of heroism. The performance can be better understood by applying Ruben Andersson’s