Call for help from the Venezuelan community for freedom and an end to oppression in Curaçao

WILLEMSTAD - In a new episode that has raised concern, two Venezuelan citizens were arrested today in Willemstad and transferred to the Immigration Department for detention. This situation has exhausted the patience of the Venezuelan community, which is tired of numerous arbitrary arrests, the hopeless incarceration of refugees and migrants in crisis, the growing number of stateless children, labor exploitation, and xenophobia in Curaçao. 

"We've had enough," states Natalia Josefina Molina Rodríguez, a representative of the Venezuelan community in Curaçao. She raises her voice to demand justice, an end to oppression, and the deserved recognition of the valuable contributions that Venezuelans have made to Curaçaoan society. 

 

Violation of Rights 

 

The arrests took place on June 27 during a police control. According to Natalia Josefina Molina Rodríguez, these arrests constitute a violation of immigrants' rights. She emphasizes that these individuals have the right to receive information and protection, just as expected in any other country in the world. They should not be subjected to an administrative and legal process that exposes them to deportation without considering their arguments and individual circumstances. 

 

The community perceives the government's argument of integrating Venezuelans into Curaçaoan social life as false and insincere, as indicated by Rodríguez. She insists on the urgent need to review the current immigration policy, which she believes condemns many to unnecessary uncertainty and distress. 

 

Seeking Justice 

 

"Many Venezuelans feel persecuted and exploited, both in the streets and in their workplaces. We firmly believe that the term 'illegal' stigmatizes us and violates our rights as full-fledged citizens. We are not criminals or undocumented. We fulfill our tax obligations and work hard to support our families. The time for justice has come," states Molina Rodríguez convincingly. 

 

Well-being and Development 

 

Criticism also extends to the working conditions faced by Venezuelans on the island. Many of them work over ten hours a day without any social protection, contributing to the development and well-being of Curaçao. 

Rodríguez makes a strong call to the government of Curaçao and international organizations such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to collaborate in establishing a coherent policy that comprehensively benefits the Venezuelan community. 

 

In the pursuit of justice, the Human Rights Defense Curaçao (HRDC) organization currently provides assistance to unjustly detained Venezuelans. Rodríguez proudly emphasizes that Venezuelans feel deeply connected to their Latin American and Venezuelan heritage, and they demand respect and justice for a community that, according to her, is an essential part of Curaçao. 




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