34 Venezuelans plead guilty

THIRTY-FOUR Venezuelans, among them 14 women, appeared in the Siparia Magistrates’ Court yesterday when each pleaded guilty for entering the Trinidad illegally.

The foreigners appeared in the second court before magistrate Ava Vandenberg-Bailey who read that on unknown dates at unknown locations they entered the country and failed to report to immigration as required by law. South Western Division police arrested the 34 over the weekend at Erin, San Flora and Siparia.

Legal officer Sheldon Salazar prosecuted and interpreter/ translator Luz Marina Tapias translated yesterday. The Venezuelans were between the ages of 18 and 42 and cannot speak English. Among them were Yurismeel Flores,42, and her 18-year-old son Kirry Jimenez and Jose Luis Cantillo, 35, and his brother Cesar Cantillo Payola,18. Many of the women told the court they are homemakers, students and a hairdresser. One of the women, Jessica Martinez, 28, via the translator, said she works in a bakery in Venezuela. She has a one-month-old baby who was born in Trinidad. When police detained her, the baby remained in the care of a sitter.

Some of the men said they are students of different schools, plumbers, labourers and have families to take care off. They came to Trinidad to seek better lives given the economic, social and political hardships in their homeland. During the hearing, many of the Venezuelans wept.

After the magistrate reprimand and discharged them, they said “gracias” (thank you) in unison. But the Venezuelans remain in police custody and are expected to be deported.

After the case was called, two of the men seen earlier crying in the court alleged that “Fyzabad police” seized US$150 from them while they were in custody at the station. Speaking in Spanish, one said he is waiting for police to return his US$90.

Another said police did not return US$60 and a cell phone. As they were being led out, they asked this reporter for help to recover the money and phone.