President Biden is offering a sorta-kinda-amnesty to half a million Venezuelan refugees who are currently in the country:
Biden officials told reporters that Venezuelans who had entered the United States by July 31 would be eligible for temporary protected status, a designation that will shield them from deportation and speed up their ability to obtain U.S. work permits. The announcement was the largest expansion of temporary protected status to date, and more Venezuelans have received the designation than any other nationality, government data shows.
But what I found most remarkable about the story was this:
More than 6 million Venezuelans have left the country during a decade of political and economic turmoil in their homeland.
I didn't know this. That's 6 million out of 30 million, or 20% of the population. It's as if 65 million Americans had fled the country because of political turmoil. Remember that when anyone complains about the current cankerous politics of the United States. It could be a lot worse.
Well if there were anywhere that were undeniably less-bad, we'd go there.
That would have us.
Canada is clearly better, except so damn cold.
Just avoid the exterior part they keep out of doors, overrun with dangerous wildlife and frostbite, and you'll be fine.
If you don't mind spending the entire winter in the dark.
It's not likely that many people are leaving Venezuela because of contentious politics or because they don't like the politicians who are in charge. Probably most are economic refugees - the country's economics have deteriorated badly. For legitimate entry into the US for asylum, they would have to be the victims of actual political or racial/ethnic persecution. It's hard to get any valid information about this from the US media, but it seems unlikely that there has been active persecution of more than 20% of the Venezuelan population - what would be the reason for this?
People will put up with a lot from politicians as long as they are doing OK economically. What fraction of US citizens left either because they didn't like Trump or don't like Biden? Neither have been approved by majorities for any length of time, and both are accused of plotting the end of America as we know it by their respective political opponents.
Really? Since THOSE VERY POLITICIANS are responsible for the economic catastrophe to what was not that long ago the most prosperous economy in Latin America, yeah, they are leaving because they hated Chavez and now hate Maduro and his flunkies. And the feeling is mutual.
Fortunately, many of these "economic refugees" are pretty skilled at some valuable activity. They aren't the same as folks fleeing the brutality in Guatemala or narcissistic idiocy in Nicaragua.
No comment on the internal politics of Venezuela, but I think it is beyond dispute that the main cause of their economic problems are economic sanctions imposed by the US.
About 5 years ago I stood in line at immigration between Colombia and Ecuador for 8 hours because there were hundreds of Venezuelans. I ended up getting to the Quito bus station at 1am. Not the best day, but I kept reminding myself that I was traveling because I wanted to and not because I had to.
I came across a number of Venezuelans in Colombia who had been doctors, engineers, etc. back home and who were just working odd jobs to get by. Pretty rough situation.
Currently I'm in Southern Mexico, and there's been a noticeable increase in the number of Venezuelan migrants the past few weeks.
I have the general impression that Venezuela's problems are an intractable conflict between the people in the petroleum industry and everyone else, is that a correct point of view?
Economic sanctions are the largest contributing factor.
As I have said before, trends in migration may depend a lot on Fear Of Missing Out or being left behind. A few people manage to get into the US and do much better than they were in their native country. Word gets back about this - even poor people in Venezuela may have cell phones now. The more people who do succeed in migrating, the more pressure there is back home not to be left behind. They may now have friends or relatives in the US who will help them when they arrive.
Never underestimate the instinct to conform.
People don't emigrate from their countries "to conform". Most of your posts have some element of good sense, but today you are batting .000. Take a break.
People have been leaving Venezuela because it has been ruled by incompetent populist authoritarians who have destroyed the economy and persecuted their political enemies. Basically anyone who could afford it has left, and many of those who couldn’t set off walking to Columbia. Something similar could well happen here if Trump gets re-elected.
It's ironic that the right wing cites Chavez and Maduro as examples of left wing government, they are really much more similar to Trump in their populist authoritarian ways.
So true.
Sanctions have worked well to destabilize Venezuela. They will work as well against the US especially after the dollar is no longer the reserve currency.
So, in what way have the departures made things better in Venezuela?
Departures have not made things better in Venezuela, they have only made things better for people who departed Venezuela.
Venezuelan migrants have made things better for traffickers.