Migration

Essay: Illegal Migration in Colombia

Indirectly, immigration generates great benefits; for example, a society in which there is greater immigration can be more open to social changes and more prepared for economic changes. 

Growth with equality, integration within the region, as well as migration, are priority issues for Latin America and the Caribbean, a region that must end the culture of privilege and move towards economic, social and environmental development for guarantee its inhabitants the right to development. This was said by Alicia Bárcenas, the executive secretary of CEPAL. She highlighted how essential it is to be migration for democracy, diversity and sustainable development of the nations of the region.

"We invite countries to see this as an opportunity," Alberto Rodriguez, director of the bank for Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Bolivia, said in an interview in Lima. "Immigrants can reactivate economies in many ways: they can bring innovation, ideas and investment," as well as skills and experience.

In my opinion solidarity with Venezuelans should end, it may

sound cruel but they are ending our country, it is a reality that we have to accept. Colombia is the new house where hundreds of Venezuelans try to rebuild their lives. President Duque's first step in the face of the Venezuelan challenge must be to accept that the migratory phenomenon and the economic recovery of his neighbor will remain for a long time, even if Maduro leaves power soon. As Venezuelans arrive at hospitals in the country in search of medical care they do not have, the financial landscape of public health becomes increasingly complex in Colombia.

Before this migration, the emergency rooms remained collapsed, today they use any space to put chairs and stretchers to care for the sick. Several diseases already eradicated, such as measles arrive in Colombia after their arrival. If there was no work for Colombians some years ago, now much worse for us, our economy declined during the last years. 

There are currently 1,408,055 Venezuelans in Colombia, of which only 742,000 have their papers in order. Despite that, after we shook hands with them,hey paid back to us stealing and docking, we understood their situation, but I don't want our country to become the one they didn't know how to handle. They are cowards, instead of staying and fighting for a free country, they become nomads seeking refuge from neighboring countries, while sadly just few remain to support. 

“Colombia cannot think that this migratory phenomenon is

going to end. We have to be clear that they are mostly people who come to stay,” said Deputy Minister Gonzalez.

From my point of view, illegal immigrants should be expelled from the country, and followed by establishing a VISA for those who wish to enter Colombia as Ecuador did this year.

By Heidi Rico, Step 10