On 08/17/2024, after having a great time at the NAPRHSW Annual Cruise for Social Justice, Venezuelan Alliance Community Support Center, Inc. Executive Director and Founder, Rosa Bramble Caballero, LCSW-R, full of energy and advocacy spirit, participated along with thousands fellow Venezuelans at Times Square New York Call to Action protest and simultaneously in over 40 countries of the world to denounce the fraudulent dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro, who declared himself president on country’s election which took place in Venezuela on July 28th, 2024. The continued presence of a dictatorship is generating fear, terror and more people will flee for their lives. For the past 25 years Venezuela has experienced repression and economic hardship as the result of the dictator of Hugo Chavez followed by Nicolas Maduro. The impact of the dictatorship has led to a humanitarian crisis forcing 8.7 million Venezuelans to flee their country over the past decade. This number of refugees is unprecedented in the history of Latin America.
The humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has led thousands to flee and risk their lives traversing the Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama, in order to seek refuge in the United States. New York, where only 15,200 Venezuelans lived as of 2021 has seen a remarkable 1000% of Venezuelans arriving in the past two years. Venezuelans makeup over 60% of recent migrants with a total of approximately 80,000. Most are living in shelters and they are in need of many services.
Venezuelan Alliance provides trauma-informed service delivery to address the pre-migration trauma of Venezuelans, the trauma of transition, of xenophobia experienced in other host countries, and post settlement challenges. Ms. Caballero states“ We hold firm that New York City is a city of immigrants and as a Venezuelan New Yorker, proud to call this city my home, will do what is necessary in terms of advocacy, services and collaboration to provide Venezuelans a new home where they can feel welcomed, live in dignity until and develop community”. Ms. Caballero’s presence and advocacy led to her invitation among one of the Venezuelan Leaders in NYC to Mayor Eric Adams and city commissioners round table to discuss the challenges faced by Venezuelans and the city’s response to the newest New Yorkers. From the onset of the migrant crisis, Ms. Caballero has been actively participated at the Mayors Office Immigrant of Immigrant Affairs Asylum Committee. Ms. Caballero reminds us that “ As a social worker advocating for social justice, we need to make sure that migration is not weaponized and to stand up for our migrant communities who have the right to flee and seek refuge when forced to flee their homes”.
Written by Rosa Caballero