Venezuelan renewals: then what?

WHETHER or not the State extends the window in which it is allowing Venezuelans to refresh their permission to remain in this country, the process has already taught us a number of lessons. One is that both Venezuelans and the people of TT seem familiar with the notion of a last-minute rush.

The three-week period in which 16,523 Venezuelans are being asked to submit documents to the Ministry of National Security in Port of Spain comes to an end on Friday. After a slow start weeks ago, there were many Venezuelans dropping off documents on Monday.

There have been hitches.

Last Tuesday, after a Newsday report in which some Venezuelans complained they could not get job letters, the ministry tweeted that such letters are not mandatory. However, as of yesterday, the ministry was yet to update the requirements for this process on its official website, something which is sure to add needless confusion, especially considering the language barrier.

There are three drop-off boxes across the country for documents and some Venezuelans have reported difficulty finding them. Others are waiting for landlords to sign-off on residence letters.

Why this entire process is being adopted at all is also not clear. At various points state officials have vacillated on the fate of Venezuelans in this country, ever since the 2019 amnesty.

At one point, the Prime Minister suggested since Venezuelans are already here, it would be difficult to eject them all. At other points, the State has bent over backwards to rush deportation procedures, sometimes in manifest defiance of court proceedings.

Along the way, there have also been bungled repatriations. Last month, a total of 96 Venezuelans were eventually flown to Caracas after a saga involving the State shutting down the process abruptly in order to obtain a written guarantee from US embassy officials that the flight would qualify as a humanitarian measure and therefore not trigger sanctions.

Some Venezuelans are clamouring for more repatriation. Another flight from Piarco to Caracas has been organised privately, reportedly by the airline Rutaca, but has had no luck obtaining a landing permit. Trips by sea to Tucupita are also awaiting authorisation, as the borders of both Venezuela and TT are closed.

Venezuelans have been assured that they too will fall under the State’s vaccination programme (whenever that materialises).

But this is little consolation for the failure of the State to give any meaningful sign that deportation policies have changed, particularly with regard to how children, parents and those seeking asylum under international law are dealt with.

All of this points to a deeper question. What is the State’s policy going forward? Or will that policy only be announced just before the current six-month extension expires, in another last-minute rush?