Since his arrival at power at the end of January, Trump has expelled thousands of migrants from several countries and deported to 288 Venezuelans and Salvadorans to El Salvador to be locked in a maximum security prison because he accuses them of “criminals”
Scared and soaked, feeling the pounding of the boat that advances among the agitated waters of the Caribbean, a group of Venezuelan migrants reaches honey, the last Panamanian coastal village before crossing Colombia. “It’s horrible,” says Roquelina Pirela, after a dangerous journey of about eight hours per sea.
«It is a risk that one should not be taking. The waves, the blows when (the boat) climbed and went down … it is quite strong, ”Pirela tells an AFP collaborator who accompanied the group in a stretch of the tour, about 40 minutes from Puerto Obaldía to the remote hamlet of honey.
Since his arrival to power at the end of January, Trump has expelled thousands of migrants from several countries and deported to 288 Venezuelans and Salvadorans to El Salvador to be locked in a maximum security prison because he accuses them of “criminals.”
To avoid trauma or greater problems, thousands of migrants, the vast majority Venezuelans, gave up their goal of entering the United States and undertook the return to their countries, crossing Mexico and Central America on foot and in buses.
Pirela, about 45, her little daughter and another twenty migrants sailed from a dock in the province of Columbus, in the Panamanian Caribbean.
With that route they do not cross the dangerous jungle of the Darién, bordering Colombia, such as when they were going for months towards the United States with the hope of a prosperous life.
“I do not recommend it to anyone, I prefer the jungle a thousand times because the open sea is something impressive (…) is horrible, we go into despair,” said Noel Meza.
Meza said there were times when they felt the boat “was going to turn.” “We go into despair,” adds the 24 -year -old Venezuelan, whose face shows burns by the sun.
*Also read: US Supreme Court suspends Deportation of Venezuelans to El Salvador
“Thank God we are here”
Some suffered dizziness and vomiting on the crossing, such as Winston Duarte. «But the boy (the botero) could not stop because a misfortune could occur. That sea is strong, I do not recommend it, I prefer the Darién jungle, ”agreed the 32 -year -old.
«The waves are strong. There are many hours at sea, in the middle of nowhere, and many things can happen, but well, thank God we are already here, ”he said.
At the end of February, a Venezuelan girl died and another 20 people were rescued after shipwrecked in the Panamanian Caribbean a boat with migrants who headed to Colombia to follow, a large part, to Venezuela.
Last year more than 300,000 migrants, mostly Venezuelans, crossed the Darien, but now the transit through the jungle was minimized and now the so -called reverse migration is given.
Meza said that, after his hard experience, he does not plan to emigrate again even if things change in the United States; and Pirela regrets having suffered xenophobia and dangers in its round trip.
Venezuelans return frustrated to their country, where almost eight million people have emigrated to flee from the crisis.
Yohendry Fernández, who as almost everyone is returned from Mexico, says resigned: «It could not. We really do not know how it is currently, but I think that in our country we are better than in any other country ».
With information from Swissinfo.ch
*Journalism in Venezuela is exercised in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments arranged for the punishment of the word, especially the laws “against hatred”, “against fascism” and “against blockade.” This content is being published taking into account the threats and limits that, consequently, have been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
