It seems that we, Peruvians, tend to forget that we have parents, children and other families and friends living around the world. When we do this, we become intolerants to the immigrant that comes to Peru and we are unconscious of her/his necessity. It is the same necessity that made our families and friends to move out from our beloved Peru, which in some cases we haven’t seen them in a while. So, Venezuelans are not going to Peru just because of luxury or tourism, they are going there because of NECESSITY. We must understand this before we start judging and GENERALIZING them only because there are few bad examples of Venezuelans in our country.
Before continuing, I have to mention that I live in the US, but I have lived in Peru for 20 years to know it well and to love it to death, and I have been living in the US for about 6 years to understand that immigrants don’t have it easy. I live in a country, where in this context of time there is no space for latinos fighting latinos because the atmosphere is already fighting us thanks to the anti-immigrant thinking of its president. So when I see and listen about Peruvians and Venezuelans fighting against each other, not physically necessarily, it makes me feel sad for them. For the Venezuelans because they are in need and regardless of some bad examples of them, they should be given the opportunity to live and to help their loved ones in their country; and for the Peruvians because in their bitterness, which I understand (there is not enough job fo everyone), they just express their feelings without realizing that their families, friends, and loved ones are in the same situation in foreign countries.
Continuing with the topic, it is known that Venezuelans have been leaving their country mainly because of the politic and economic crisis lead by dictators/communists/socialists politicians. Politicians that in practice seem to love capitalism and it looks like they follow this mindset: “Let’s give capitalism to the rich and socialism to the masses.” Thats maybe why rich Venezuelan politicians go on luxury vacations to Florida, which by the way is in the most capitalistic country, USA; meanwhile their people are struggling in a communist country. In my opinion, Socialism and even worst Communism have failed in the practice to help out the poor and working class, and if we are not convinced of their failure we should ask China about that matter…but this is another story, for another time.
Furthermore, among the most common destinies for Venezuelans to immigrate in South America are Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Brasil; and who would tell, yes, also Peru. This seems ironic because since I can remember; we Peruvians where the ones immigrating everywhere. We immigrated to countries like Italy, Spain, USA, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Japan, and of course even Venezuela. For example, my dad immigrated to Venezuela in 2006, and he was doing well economically and socially, without any discrimination; however he had to go back to Peru in 2016 because of the economic crisis, otherwise he would continued living there since he loves that country as his own.
Today, 2018, the context is different, Peru is doing better at least economically talking; and for this reason our Venezuelans neighbors have been immigrating there. Furthermore, as January of 2018 there were about 100,000 Venezuelans in Peru, however, as of June of the same year, this number increased to 330,000 making it the second country in Latin America, after Colombia with the most presence of Venezuelan immigrants. Moreover, it is important to mention that according to an article from El Comercio (Peruvian Newspaper) only 22 were convicted as criminals. This number represents less than 0.0006% of the total amount of Venezuelans that immigrated to Peru, which at the same time is an insignificant amount to start generalizing that “everyone is bad” and for this reason “everyone should go back to their country”. Therefore, leaving aside this last generalizations, even though Venezuelans represent a “problem” for the Peruvian economy, because they have to compete for a job with native borns, let’s not forget three reasons why we should embrace them. First, once we use to immigrate to Venezuela, so we have a historic debt with them. Second, we have families and friends around the world which should make us more empathetic towards the immigrant. Third, but not least, many “limeños” are children of “provincianos” or people born outside of the capital so they (me included) should understand the struggling of being an immigrant.
First, when Venezuela was a good country to live in, it was a common destiny for many Peruvians to immigrate, which one of them was my dad as I mentioned it before. The economy was good, the land and weather are tropical, and their people are very welcoming which made it awesome to live in. Furthermore, today even in the middle of its economic and politic crisis, Venezuela is a beautiful country, and I don’t have a doubt that when its economy stabilizes Venezuelans will return there. Nevertheless, now that our neighbor country is facing crisis we cannot forget what they have done for us, we cannot forget that once they opened their doors when the doors in our own country were closed because of the insecurity of terrorism, the economic crisis by the inflation, and later because of a dictatorial government which we had it for 10 years, by our own willing. So, let’s give them a chance, and don’t generalize them focusing on the bad apples, the very few ones that are committing crime.
Second, we should be empathetic to the Venezuelan immigrant since most of us have families that are also immigrants in foreign countries. This should be the main reason among the three ones, in my opinion, why Peruvians should embrace the Venezuelans. Therefore, our families are strangers in those countries and if there weren’t laws that protects them they would be defenseless. Before being an immigrant, one is a human being. So, if we hear that our politicians are debating on giving them health insurance or another benefits we shouldn’t envy them. I understand that there are many Peruvians in need that do not have access to health insurance and it would seem absurd to provide it to strangers. However, even here in the US, health insurance is not guaranteed for everyone, and when some immigrants get access to it the citizens of this country are not going on strikes because of that. Moreover, if you have a loved one that is living outside of Peru, he/she must have told you that it is not easy to progress with the sadness of leaving your loved ones behind. So, adding to their sadness, if the people of that country discriminates them it would be so much difficult and humiliating to just live. Then, you the immigrant see and listen that your loved ones are starting to discriminate the immigrants? This seems ironic, but the solution to this irony would be what Jesus once said: “Do others as you want them to do with you”; and by the way, in the Bible God demands (as an order, not as a suggestion) to be kind to the stranger. Treat the stranger with respect and do not humiliate her/him, and I am sure that God Whom sees everything will take that on count, and will bless your loved ones even if they are in China. In contrast, be selfish and arrogant to the immigrant and don’t cry when your immigrant relative is suffering discrimination because of his immigrant condition in a foreign country. Seems clear as crystal, right? Hopefully, yes.
Third, many “limeños”, people who have been born in Lima, are children of “provincianos”, immigrants born outside of Lima, and for this reason at least this “many” should know the struggles of being an immigrant, in this case in their own country. For example, my mom is from Huanuco and my dad from Pasco (these last ones are 2 of the 24 provinces, equivalences of state in the US), and I was born in Lima. Being born in Lima, the capital, gives you some advantage because since Peru is centralistic there were always more opportunities there than in the other provinces. So, it was more probably that people would immigrate to Lima than from Lima to a province. This scenario is similar to being born in the US, everyone would go there because of better opportunities, instead of seeing Americans going to another countries in pursue of better opportunities, very unlikely. So, even though I was raised in Lima, I saw and heard by first hand the struggles of “provincianos” immigrants like my parents, and now that I am an immigrant myself in the US, I understand better what it means to be an immigrant, to be far away from your loved ones, from your real “pollo a la brasa” (Peruvian chicken), Ceviche, Lomo Saltado… How I miss my country!… But continuing, as a son of “non-Limeños” immigrants, and as an immigrant myself, how could I be insensitive to the immigrants in general, and in this case to the Venezuelans? It would be a shame if that would be the case. However, if you are a child of “limeños” for generations, good for you, but I would bet that even you have some beloved one outside of Peru, and if this is the case, stop being stubborn and be kind to the stranger.
Finally, I think our problem as Peruvians is not necessarily being xenophobic, as I heard so many times in a Peruvian context. Our main problems are generalizing that all Venezuelans are bad because of some fews, and not being empathetic towards another’s necessity forgetting that once we were in the same situation. Furthermore, I understand that Peru’s economy continues developing, and we might not have the same capacity as the USA or some another European country to take care of immigrants, but history, and I believe God, are giving us the opportunity to bless the ones that once blessed us.
Sharing your bread with your neighbor when you have enough, brings its blessings; but sharing it even though you are lacking from it, brings way much more blessings; blessings that I am more than sure the Peruvians will earn. Why? Because I know them and I believe in them.
MD, USA
Gianco
Veritas vos liberabit 