WILLEMSTAD - Entire networks have emerged in recent years to smuggle Venezuelans to Curaçao. This is evident from the story of the 32-year-old Venezuelan Maria *. “Everyone who leaves gets a Curaçao SIM card on departure from Venezuela.”
It took Maria almost 12 hours to get to Curaçao by boat from Venezuela. There were 27 people on board. In groups of five they are released from the boat near Santa Barbara Resort at the eastern point of the island and they must swim to the coast.
She paid fifteen hundred dollars for the crossing. “A few years ago, the price was still five hundred dollars. The price has since risen, because the number of Venezuelans who want to make the crossing has grown,” says Maria.
All settled
She never learned to swim. A man helps her stay afloat when they have to get out of the boat. Several people injured themselves on the sharp reef. When she remembers it, she doesn't know how she managed to get out of the water and climb the high rocks. “Adrenaline, I think.”
From the moment they leave Venezuela to the moment they arrive in Curaçao, everything is arranged for them. When they leave the port, they receive a Curacao SIM card from the human traffickers. They put their phones in a waterproof bag. “On arrival we had to call a local number, which was already stored on the SIM card. That way we could indicate that we were there and where.”
Maria comes ashore unnoticed. Through all the bushes she finally arrives in Fuik. “We were picked up there and taken to another location." Five other people from the boat have less luck. They were arrested that same evening by the immigration police.
The rest were taken to a house and were told where they will stay and where they will work. Many women have to work as entertainment ladies or “trago girl **”.
Smuggling networks
Since the economic crisis in Venezuela, more and more Venezuelans are trying to support their families through work abroad. In the meantime, the situation in Venezuela has deteriorated to such an extent that the minimum wage has fallen to 4 dollars a month. What you can buy for that? “Nothing at all,” says Maria, “a bag of flour and a few eggs.”
And so entire networks have been created to smuggle Venezuelans to Curaçao for work to help their remaining family members.
It is not the first time that Maria has visited Curaçao. She has been deported once before after being arrested by the immigration police. The first time she was in Curaçao, she got into a relationship with a Curaçao man. After being deported, the man arranged for them to be married in Venezuela.
Because the borders are closed and they have already been deported, Maria decides to return illegally via a human smuggler by boat. She hopes that through her marriage in Curaçao she can get a residence and / or work permit.
Once back on the island it turned out that the man already has a wife on Curaçao. He also did not register the marriage to Maria. Illegal and alone she stays behind in Curaçao and has to work as a trago girl.
Just like most Venezuelans, Maria has to financially support ten family members in Venezuela. They depend on the money that Maria sends them every month.
Coastguard is struggling with limited resources
It is not known how many Venezuelans will reach Curaçao via this route. According to Shalick Clement, spokesman for the Coast Guard, they don't have enough resources to stop everyone now. “The coastal strip is long; we cannot always be everywhere at the same time.”
According to the spokesperson, investments in radars and better camera surveillance are on the agenda. “With these means we get a better view of the coastlines and the waters around the island.”
* Fictitious name. Real name is known to the editors.
* The term "trago girl" is derived from the Spanish word trago, which means "buy a drink." The girls work in snèks (snack bars) and receive a commission for the number of drinks they let men buy for them, after which the men pay them for sex.
