Venezuelans in the country, between agitation and plans to emigrate again

"Seeing the results of these elections directly, I thought about leaving the country, I do not want to stay here waiting for the same thing to happen again," said Michell, a 29-year-old Venezuelan living in Argentina since four years. The Venezuelan immigrants who escaped from Nicolás Maduro's regime and who arrived in Argentina fear the return of Kirchnerism. The result of STEP 2019 has caused great uncertainty among them because of the return to power of the leaders who they consider similar to those who govern in Venezuela.

"It's something that we already live in Venezuela, I hope.I think the result of last Sunday will be reversed.But otherwise, my intention is to leave Argentina.C & # 39; is how we started in Venezuela and see how we end, "Michell added.

Gabriela González is another Venezuelan immigrant. She is not happy either about the return of Kirchnerism: "If they come back, we will have to fight it, but I do not want to leave again, it is very difficult to emigrate." I am also convinced that the result will be The economy is not good, but solid foundations are laid to allow Argentina to get up. "

"I had a good job, I had an apartment, but I was afraid of kidnappings, lack of food and food." I have two children who, when we were in Caracas, were three and 13 years old. I was afraid that they would get sick and that there would be no antibiotics. "he added.

Only in the first quarter of 2019, some 40,000 Venezuelans settled in our country, a significant figure if we take into account the fact that their number was 70,531 in the last year. In just three months, more than half of the people who entered in 2018 have already entered.

According to the National Directorate of Migration, from 2012 to March 2019, a total of 170,000 deposits were granted to Venezuelans.

The number of those arriving in Argentina is increasing from year to year, so much so that in 2018, Venezuelans were the first migratory force, surpbading for the first time Bolivians and Paraguayans, who have always represented the largest flow in Argentina. A trend that could be changed as a result of last Sunday's election, and that could also be affected by this week's devaluation, with most Venezuelans continuing to send money to their families behind.

The proximity of Cristina Kirchner with the leadership of Hugo Chávez and his successor, Nicolás Maduro, makes Venezuelans see Kirchnerism and Chavismo as two sides of the same coin. For many, the migration was traumatic because they had to leave skilled jobs, suffer the depreciation of the house they lived in and fear for their family members who remain there and suffer from lack of medicine, food and security .

Victoria Maneiro is a lawyer from Maracaibo who arrived in Buenos Aires in July 2015 with a friendly family who brought her as a nanny to look after her three daughters. "I was beyond
independent. I received in 2014 at the University of Zulia (Northwest Venezuela) and the money was not enough, I lived with my parents, "he said. Since April 2016, Victoria works for a company that needs a professional speaking Portuguese and English to do jobs
at sea help lawyers in the United States and England.

Maneiro, like the others, fears the return of Kirchnerism. To Venezuelans who are not worried or who believe that what is happening in Venezuela will not happen, he says that it is only a matter of time. She's already thinking of going to Europe or Canada, but in three years. He says he wants to emigrate in an orderly manner, not like the last time, when he had to escape the shortage of Chavista.

"After Sunday's results, I was very worried, I was disappointed and worried.We come from the total chaos caused by the populist governments and we do not want to live the same thing," said Alfredo Nessi, 29-year-old system engineer, arrived in the country last March and worked as a
delivery until he gets a position related to his profession.

"I am very clear that if this result is maintained in October, I seize, close my suitcase and leave, I will go to New Zealand or Australia, I have already done so and I am not sure. I am not afraid to do it again, everything can be done by working, but yes Cristina wins, I do not want to be in Argentina, these types of governments do not finish well, let's hope that the situation at the polls can be reversed. " another Venezuelan immigrant who preferred to protect his identity.