Faces of the Venezuelan Crisis

Speeches Shim

Video Transcript 
USAID Presents Border City of Cucuta, Colombia The man-made crisis in Venezuela has caused millions to leave. To date, nearly 5 million have fled. We met the following Venezuelans at a center supported by USAID, the Government of Colombia, Villa del Rosario, and other partners. USAID helped thousands of people through this center in less than two years. These are the faces of the Venezuelan crisis. Blanca: I am a mother of five girls. I am from Venezuela. I arrived in Cucuta in search of my daughter. What makes me fight every day, is my girls, their health. That’s the most important thing. Yadira: The situation in Venezuela is very critical. The high cost of food. There is no employment. Children, the elderly and people with diseases are dying due to lack of medicine. I have been at the transition center for eight days. I received good treatment, all of us here. Edwin: Thank God this transition center has helped me a lot. First, to focus psychologically, have peace of mind. At least there are people who give us support. Just as our Colombian brothers were once received in Venezuela, here they receive us as brothers. Maranyley: I came here due to health issues of my son who has cerebral palsy. Thank God here the medicine has not been lacking. In Venezuela, he did not have it. I arrived here and the attention I received has been good in matters of food and shelter. It was tough to leave my house, my children. I am not used to it, but I knew I was doing it for a good reason. For my son, and it was tough. Maria Fernanda: It is tough but never stop fighting for what you want. I simply had a dream and came with my husband and my baby, to give my son good economic stability. My name is Maria Fernanda. My name is Blanca Ortiz. My name is Yadira Yanqui. My name is Maranyely Luz Mery Paredes. My name Edwin Arguello, and I would like to return again to where I grew up, where I was raised. Where my whole family was since I was little. If I could actually return to my country, I would not really think twice about it. USAID proudly stands with the people of Venezuela who are yearning for freedom and democracy.