Situation of Venezuelans in Colombia, from the experience of a Colombian.

Font of the image: https://www.latiendavenezolana.com/blogs/tienda/8-datos-sobre-la-bandera-de-venezuela-que-vale-la-pena-recordar

The situation that our Venezuelan brothers have had to flee from a regime that from outside is seen as something perverse and meaningless is a secret to anyone. Today I want to talk about the Venezuelans I know and who have come to my city wanting to work and get ahead.

I live in the city of Cali in Colombia, where we have received a large number of Venezuelan people, who arrive fleeing the Maduro regime, the vast majority of newscasts focus on people who are going through situations of misery and negative news such as crime and the prostitution that I will talk about later.

In my mother's house we had an apartment for rent and one day four Venezuelans arrived and the truth is that seeing them in Cali was not so common, my mother rented the apartment and over time more have arrived and others have left. My experience as neighbors is that they are good people who want a better future, workers and they are very kind.

They are dedicated to what in Colombia we call "rebusque" informal work,
and it is to look for work, they sell "empandas", red wine and some gastronomic delights of that beautiful country. They are very enterprising and they already have some business in the city and they have become many of a good name.

Colombia is a country hit by a great inequality many of the people who live in the country are dedicated to the same as the Venezuelans who arrive and it is to the "rebusque" informal work, then where there was a street vendor now there are six and things like that which affects To the Colombians who dedicate themselves to these activities, however, they have also been supportive.

Many people disagree with their presence and it is understandable that there is a change and all change is complicated, especially because some have been involved in issues related to insecurity, but insecurity we have always had, on the other hand, many women in Venezuela are they have had to dedicate themselves to prostitution because they have no other means of work. That has also made many people not treat them well.

I believe that treating one person badly for the mistakes of another does not make sense and I hope that they continue contributing in the countries where they go, that they are a supportive community and that someday they can return to their country to visit the many friends. Venezuelans that I now have.