The South American country of Venezuela has been experiencing an economical collapse as well as a health and political crisis for around eight to twelve years now. In that considerably short period of time, approximately 6.8 million Venezuelans have left their country to live in other places in Latin America. In comparison, Costa Rica has a population of around 5 million people, more than a million less than Venezuelans that live around the globe. 

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Luckily enough, many Venezuelans have managed to be accepted into foreign countries with kindness, and many of them even ended up at this school. However, many others have been less lucky. In order to leave their country and have better opportunities than in Venezuela, many citizens without the resources to afford a trip on a plane, bus, or car have to trek through Central America to get to the United States and Mexico. 

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Every day, more than 650 migrants start on the walk out of Venezuela. They illegally cross the border with Colombia, frequently encountering armed criminals. They have to pass the Colombian wilderness and the Darién Gap. After that, they either make their way further south the continent or go up to the Panamanian border.

 

Throughout their journey, they often lose shoes, ruin their clothing, go hungry, and more; they need to frequently change materials so they can survive. Many of these migrants stop by Costa Rican refugee centers to replenish their energy and change their tattered clothing. Some of the centers that help Venezuelans in their journey are: the International Organization for Migration in Costa Rica, HIAS Costa Rica, and UNHCR, among others. Many of these refugee centers gladly accept volunteers to help them with the recollection and distribution of items and food.

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In times like these, unity must be exercised to help rekindle the hope and passion migrants once had in their own countries. Many Venezuelans have claimed that among all the countries they must pass through to get to their destination, Costa Rica is most definitely the most generous one; comparing it to some kind of temporary oasis. 

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Bibliography:

• Al Jazeera. “Over 6.8 Million Have Left Venezuela since 2014 and Exodus Grows.” Migration News | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 31 Aug. 2022, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/31/over-6-8-million-have-left-venezuela-since-2014-and-exodus-grows#:~:text=About%206.8%20million%20Venezuelans%20have,2.4%20million%20are%20in%20Colombia. 

• YouTube, 7 Sept. 2022, https://youtu.be/ptz-FMrLP8g. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022. 

• R4V Situation report: Central america & Mexico (March and April 2022) - Costa Rica. ReliefWeb. (2022, July 8). Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://reliefweb.int/report/costa-rica/r4v-situation-report-central-america-mexico-march-and-april-2022#:~:text=This%20resulted%20from%20the%20revision,Venezuelan%20asylum%2Dseekers%20awaiting%20resolution.