EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – U.S. officials are raising alarms after chaos erupted in the streets of Venezuela following Sunday’s presidential election. President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory despite widespread allegations of election fraud.
The country, already in a prolonged humanitarian crisis, may face another mass exodus, potentially affecting the United States, particularly in border towns like El Paso, Texas.
Scenes from Venezuela resemble an action movie with massive protests including former Maduro supporters, demanding change.
Despite exit polls showing Maduro losing by a significant margin, he secured a third six-year term, prompting U.S. officials to demand evidence validating the results.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reported that in just 48 hours, at least 17 people were killed and over a thousand detained.
Venezuelan Journalist Dereck Blanco, covering the unfolding events in Caracas, said protestors are still determined to fight for change.
“The people I have spoken to are still very determined to keep fighting for a change for the country, and for liberty,” Blanco said.
Barbara Romero, a Venezuelan activist who is now residing in El Paso, warns that Venezuelans could face extended unrest, significantly impacting the already overwhelmed U.S. immigration system.
“The problem will be that the number of migrants that will come will increase to historic levels, levels that have no precedents. There are at least 10 million people who voted in the last presidential election on Sunday. These people are already being persecuted and repressed by the regime, and they will seek refuge in other countries, with the United States as their main target. It would be approximately 10 million more people for a country that is not prepared to receive this amount of people and that is already going through a big immigration crisis,” Romero said.
Nearly eight million people have already left Venezuela. Data from the Department of Homeland Security shows that Venezuelan nationals are among the top groups of migrants apprehended at the border.
Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales said what is happening in Venezuela will certainly impact the U.S.
“We have to know who’s coming to our country and what their intentions are. Just giving them parole and hoping for the best is no longer the best course of action. We have to protect our communities. Part of that is by creating these anti-gang task forces,” Gonzales said.
As tensions rise, so does the desperation of Venezuelans.
“People are not scared of protesting anymore. They have lost their fear of dying. They are already dying of hunger, they have already lost their loved ones,” Romero said.
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