Firstly, it is most important to assess the current Venezuelan situation, because many who claim to be politically interested pay little attention to international affairs abroad, even when abroad means no more than the distance of a relatively short isthmus away.
To put it simply, Venezuela is in crisis. Most of the blame is on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He came to his presidency after the death of socialist revolutionary Hugo Chávez. Except, Maduro is far less liked.
Venezuela’s current political situation
Protests started in late March when the Supreme Court alongside Maduro relinquished the legislative powers of the opposition’s Congress.
This led to other political decisions involving usurpation of power, and eventually, Venezuela was in a deadlock, suspending a referendum to take Maduro out of office.
Maduro, relentless still, offered what has been deemed a “fake” election for a constituent assembly, whereas voters choose pre-selected candidates to rewrite the constitution. The opposition, viewing this as a distraction to avoid the general election and to establish Maduro’s dictatorship, continue to demonstrate.
To add to this political dissension, the Venezuelan economy is in turmoil. The International Monetary Fund estimates that inflation will reach 720.5 percent for this year, and by 2018 2068.5 percent. A dozen eggs costs about $150.
Venezuela’s oil dependence disrupts the economy
The Venezuelan economy is essentially based on oil, Venezuela’s proven oil reserves being the largest in the world, and accounting for 95 percent of Venezuela’s exports’ net product. While Chávez relied on the country's oil to equalize socioeconomic inequalities, that does not change the fact that relying on solely one resource to uplift the economy is dangerously foolish.
As oil prices have dropped, the economy has suffered. This is largely and allegedly due to Maduro’s too-eager spending. Ultimately, the result of all these tribulations is a food scarcity amongst citizens. As much as 87 percent of the population indicated in a local survey that they did not have the sufficient means to afford necessary food.
Venezuelans are starving.
The world seems to know about this crisis, yet nothing changes. Nevertheless, the crisis affects the world.
How Venezuela’s crisis affects other people
For instance, in Trinidad And Tobago, between the years of 2013 and 2014– President Maduro assuming office in 2013 – legal Venezuelan arrivals rose from approximately 15,000 to 21,000. Venezuelans also top the list for illegal immigrant origins with 1415 undocumented persons.
In the past, Jamaicans were often tagged unwelcome visitors in Trinidad. Xenophobia represented in Trinidadian culture is Jamaicans frequently being regarded as untrustworthy and wanton – much like how many Americans see Mexican immigrants – as Trinidadian people saw them flock to the island, mostly for economic reasons.
A US Dollar is worth almost 130 Jamaican dollars, but only 6.35 TT (Trinidad and Tobago) dollars.
Now, Venezuelans seek out Trinidad and Tobago, located not 7 miles off of Venezuela’s northeastern coast, for opportunity, and on a more time-sensitive note, food.
Though some describe Venezuelans as fleeing a socialist governing, it is more likely that they are running away from an authoritarian regime, as Trinidad and Tobago, in proper socialist administration, offer free health care and education.
Trinidadians are pressed. It is mostly xenophobia again that is the root of their derogatory labelings of Venezuelans of as thieves and prostitutes, and lead many Trinidadians to believe Venezuelans are taking their jobs.
That aside, with a 25 percent income tax that balances Trinidad’s rather socialist amenities, less than 2000 square miles of land to share between Trinidad and Tobago together, and a population of approximately 1.3 million, Trinidadians are also seriously concerned.
But as humans, it should be one’s obligation to help another, so said one native about the issue. And though tainted general opinions towards Venezuelans are demeaning and hurtful, Trinidad proves its dedication to progress with a policy that offers a more open immigration than some countries that ignore Venezuela’s cry for help. This is not, to be sure, an excuse for xenophobia, but more so an asking of the question: If the whole world talks about Venezuela's crisis, then why is everybody silent in action?
