A Venezuelan woman seeking asylum here in T&T says she fears for the lives of the 82 people who were repatriated on Saturday.
The woman, a 46-year-old attorney, said many of them, especially those who had already started the process for asylum and refugee status, could face possible lawsuits and even jail time by the Maduro administration.
“Very few of them might be freed but promised to be dealt with if they have to go back a second time to get them. But jail is bad for them there ... I feel very bad for them. It is very dangerous there,” the woman, who did not want to be identified for safety reasons, said.
She said in 2016 she was forced to flee from her home country after she won a case and was subsequently kidnapped and almost killed. She said she has her certificate and a “yellow-paper” document from the T&T Immigration to be here, but is now afraid in the wake of Saturday’s repatriation exercise.
“The situation against Venezuelans here has worsened and I am afraid. Recently, I went to the beach and was taken by the police here but then they released me when they saw my documents,” she said.
“I just want the process to speed up here for us and for my people who are coming here for help. They should not be sent back to Venezuela because their lives are in danger.”
Another Venezuelan woman here in T&T said because of the worsening situation in T&T with regards to Venezuelans being locked up by the police and handed over to the Immigration officers to be placed at the Immigration Detention Centre or in prison, they have made contact with a non-governmental organisation in Venezuela who will be raising their issue and making the relevant reports to Amnesty International.
“We strongly believe that with Amnesty International’s intervention we will get the help that we desperately need,” the woman said.