More than 2,000 Venezuelans who came to TT seeking a better life have returned home as the cost of living here increases.
Since TT reopened its borders on July 17, 2021, thousands of migrants have left of their own free will. The borders were closed in March 2020 as one of the measures to prevent the spread of covid19.
One of the single largest groups left on the day the borders reopened.
On that day, close to 700 migrants who sought refuge here to escape the economic and political turmoil left this country on a chartered vessel to head back home.
Most of the passengers were sick, unemployed, single mothers, pregnant women and children.
Some of the adults had taken advantage of the registration exercise in mid-2019 offered by the Government which allowed 16,523 of them to live and work in this country.
In February 2021, the Government approved the arrival of a Venezuelan plane at the Piarco airport to take 90 migrants back home. The Venezuelan embassy in TT was in charge of both repatriation trips.
[caption id="attachment_938186" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Venzuelans tale a selfie of their last moments on Trinidad soil before boarding a boat in Cedros to return to their homeland. - MARVIN HAMILTON[/caption]
According to Venezuelans living in TT, hundreds more have been deported by the government and an unknown number have been leaving irregularly in small boats.
Some families who left their children behind when they fled Venezuela owing to diminishing food and medical supplies said their decision to return home was also difficult.
Cristian Roldan, a 32-year-old Venezuelan who was waiting at the port of Cedros, on January 27, to get on the boat to take him home after four years in TT, says he misses his son.
“I came to TT for my son and for him I return now. When I left my country he was two years old, today he has grown up. I miss him and I need to hug him,” said Roldan.
He thanked the people of TT for opening their doors and giving him support during his stay.
“I think my time at TT is over. I go to my country looking for alternatives to continue giving my son the socioeconomic stability he needs and to be at his side,” said Roldan.
Although many Venezuelans believe that things in their country have not improved, others like Carlos Altuve believe that they have.
“There are options, some business can be opened in Venezuela. Now the US dollar is being handled a lot there and many companies have reopened. I want to go try my luck in my own country, with my family close by,” Altuve said.
He and his brother, Andres, both lawyers, have been in TT for three years and worked in the construction industry while here.
Cesar Armao had been in TT for three and a half years before he decided to put an end to his migratory adventure.
“I'm tired of migrating, here the economy is also changing, the prices of food, transportation, rent and medicine are going up, while wages for migrants are getting lower and lower,” he said.
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