MARACAY – Last year, Mariela Gómez could never have anticipated spending Christmas back in Venezuela, nor could countless other Venezuelan immigrants. Yet, with Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, their dreams of a new life in America were abruptly halted.
Returning to northern Venezuela for the first time in eight years, Gómez tried to embrace the holiday spirit. She dressed up, prepared a festive meal, bought her son a scooter, and put on a brave face for her in-laws. Despite her efforts, the harsh realities of unemployment and poverty loomed large for those returning to their homeland.
“Our dinner was modest, not what we had envisioned, but at least we had food,” Gómez shared, describing the lasagna-like dish she served to her family, a substitute for the traditional hallacas. “Making hallacas is costly, and since we don’t have jobs, we couldn’t afford them.”
Gómez, alongside her two sons and partner, returned to Maracay on October 27 after attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas. They were quickly detained by U.S. Border Patrol, victims of the Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies, and were subsequently deported to Mexico. From there, they embarked on the perilous journey back to Venezuela.
The family traversed Central America by bus but faced financial constraints in Panama, forcing them to opt for a more dangerous and cost-effective route. They traveled across the Pacific’s treacherous waters atop gasoline tanks on a cargo boat, later transferring to a speedboat to reach Colombia’s dense jungles. They remained there for about two weeks until they received funds to continue to Venezuela’s border.
Gómez is one of over 7.7 million Venezuelans who have fled their country in the past decade, driven out by an economic collapse linked to plummeting oil prices, corruption, and mismanagement. Having lived in Colombia and Peru for years, she once hoped the United States would offer a fresh start.
Trump’s second term has dashed the hopes of many like Gómez.
As of September, more than 14,000 migrants, mostly from Venezuela, had returned to South America since Trump moved to limit migration to the U.S., according to figures from Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica. In addition, Venezuelans were steadily deported to their home country this year after President Nicolás Maduro, under pressure from the White House, did away with his long-standing policy of not accepting deportees from the U.S.
Immigrants arrived regularly at the airport outside the capital, Caracas, on flights operated by a U.S. government contractor or Venezuela’s state-owned airline. More than 13,000 immigrants returned this year on the chartered flights.
Gómez’s return to Venezuela also allowed her to see the now 20-year-old daughter she left behind when she fled the country’s complex crisis. They talked and drank beer during the holiday knowing it might be the last time they share a drink for a while — Gómez’s daughter will migrate to Brazil next month.
Gómez is hoping to make hallacas for New Year’s Eve and is also hoping for a job. But her prayers for next year are mostly for good health.
“I ask God for many things, first and foremost life and health, so we can continue enjoying our family,” she said.
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Garcia Cano reported from Caracas.
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