Missionary priest stuck in TT tells migrants: 'Never forget about where you came from'

As many more Venezuelans flee their homeland as covid19 exacerbates their socioeconomic struggles, RC Priest Fr Gutemberg Tosca Barahona is urging them to maintain their cultural values.

Healthcare, employment, and food security are lacking in Venezuela since the drastic fall in oil prices coupled with US sanctions on the Nicolas Maduro administration. More than four million Venezuelans left their homes and, in some cases, their families, and had to adapt to new lifestyles in their host countries.

"They should never forget about where they came from. They should teach their children a range of traditions about their cultural heritage," suggested Barahona.

"Migrants must always remember they are not in their home country. They should always strive to be their brothers' keepers and conduct themselves properly. They should not give the country a bad name. Their actions should not let people think of us negatively," Barahona told Newsday in Spanish.

The missionary priest from the Diocese of Carúpano, Venezuela, came to Trinidad on February 16 for a month-and-a-half stay. But when the government shut TT's borders at midnight on March 22, to stem the unregulated importation of covid19 cases, Barahona was unable to return to Venezuela as scheduled.

However, he makes the most of his extended stay, celebrating mass in Spanish at the St Dominic's RC Church in Penal. He baptised over 70 children in that parish which comprises the cluster communities of Penal, Morne Diablo, Penal Rock Road, Platanite, and Barrackpore. Migrants in Icacos in Cedros also received the sacrament of baptism.

"They have little means of survival. Their hearts are in Venezuela, and they want to return home. But life in Venezuela has become tough, and so they are here."

Considering the inrush of illegal migrants as a delicate situation, Barahona said many who live in communities geographically close to TT head to Trinidad.

"Cases (covid19) continue to increase in Venezuela, and here the numbers are low. The situation is delicate because they are also putting the lives of the people in TT at risk. They also want better lives."

In August 2019, the Bishop of Carúpano, Jaime José Villarroel Rodríguez, visited TT. Apart from the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, he also met migrants at the Penal parish hall. After his return home, Rodríguez sent Barahona to continue the missionary work. Barahona, a Mexican by birth, has been living in Venezuela for the past 20 years, 18 of which he spent as a priest.

He commended all those, including the church and locals saying many treat the migrants with dignity. He made special mention of the "dynamic" Penal parish priest Fr Robert Christo, the church's Parish Ministry for Migrants and Refugees (PMMR) co-ordinator Daniel George, member/translator Cristina John and others.

"They show love and mercy to the Venezuelans. They assist them tremendously in their time of need."