At least 42 people are in exile throughout Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Spain. All of them were part of the local government team of the opposition Mayor of the Torres municipality in Lara State, Javier Oropeza, who was removed from his position after the presidential elections of July 28th.
lapatilla.com
They have had to sort a calamitous path, where initially they had to choose between prison or forced exile, opting for the latter, where they have not been spared the difficulties and vicissitudes that millions of migrants around the world go through.
All of them held administrative positions as directors, commissioners, promoters and coordinators of the Mayor’s Office of the Torres municipality, now again in the hands of the regime’s ruling party. And despite the fact that they were openly persecuted, only one director was arrested and this is Endrick Medina Véliz, Director of Open Government, arrested on August 8th, who is currently being held at the Sebin (the regime’s political police) headquarters in the city of Barquisimeto.
The ordeal for Javier Oropeza, his family and government team began on July 29th when they began receiving intimidating calls threatening them with imprisonment. That is the moment when persecution began. On July 30th, it was Jesús Guillermo Gómez, General Director of the Government of the Torres municipality who had to leave Carora after receiving several threats and warnings of detention.
Government authorities accuse Gómez of being responsible for the events that took place on July 30th at the headquarters of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV, the regime’s political organization). In his statements, he details that when these events occurred he was already in the city of Barquisimeto, in hiding, and it was not until August 2nd when he had to leave the country from neighboring Zulia State.
Gómez comments that these were difficult times because he had to go through all the checkpoints until finally arriving at Maicao, bordertown on the frontier with Colombia, until reaching Río Hacha and then continuing towards the capital of the sister country.
For Gómez, the life of a migrant has not been easy, because like everyone else, all need a work permit to be able to maintain themselves and although the Colombian State granted him safe conduct, a previous step to obtain refuge, this document does not allow him to work, so he says that his are “hands tied.”
So far, he comments that he has managed to sustain himself with the support of foundations and Human Rights NGO’s, who have provided him with assistance since his arrival on Colombian soil.
Mayor Javier Oropeza, who comments that in the midst of the conflict in the PSUV, he communicated on several occasions with the local prefect at that time they were getting threats of arrest were directed mainly against Jesús Guillermo Gómez.
He comments that on July 30th, he received a call informing him that police officers were raiding his residence and business located in the same building. Also, the headquarters of the Diario El Caroreño (local news paper) was located there and after that, his farm was seized, which was the means of income for his family for several generations.
In the midst of this situation he was forced to leave with Councilman Wilman Montero, going through several difficulties. The exiled mayor said that initially he had to leave his daughters, who when they were heading to their grandfather’s residence in Cabudare, were almost kidnapped by security officers, who thanks to actions by the neighbors could not enter the neighborhood for about four days, and then the two girls were protected and taken care of by the neighbors.
Finally, on August 7th, he managed to enter Colombian territory and it was not until the 13th that he managed to reunite his family in the sister country.
Regarding his properties, he commented that so far they are seized by Conas and the Bolivarian National Guard and he has unofficial information that sheep, machinery, and spare parts have been stolen and about 100 selected dairy cattle have been lost.
Other exiles
For Jesús Camacaro, Director of Infrastructure of this municipality, being a migrant and exile has not been easy. He says that he figuratively collided head-on with the country’s police barbarity, and unfortunately, together with other colleagues, they had to run away and remain in hiding until they also managed to leave Venezuela on August 9th.
In his account he details that when he arrived at a terminal in Bogotá, he did not have a place to stay. There, together with another councilor, he was received by another fellow exile who had already arrived.
He stressed that “The life of the migrant is to work to pay rent and food,” while he said that miraculously in the midst of that arrival, they received eight days of lodging in a hotel from the UNHCR where they were able to clarify their ideas more.
However, after that they had to go through five different places, sleep on the floor and do work in car washes, parking lots, among others in order to survive.
In the case of Wilman Montero, councilman belonging to the Democratic Action party, the journey has not been easy either and as with other leaders, he was also accused of the events in the local PSUV headquarters in Carora on the 29th.
He commented that he had to leave with Mayor Oropeza and that once he arrived in Colombia he met with Jesús Camacaro, with whom he has had to do all kinds of work and they have received support from foundations in the area of Human Rights to be able to support themselves and their families in exile.
Iraida Timaure, Director of Finances, left the city of Carora on August 18th. Before that, she had to face the dismantling of the remains of the administration while facing the persecution and siege by the security forces, and despite the decree issued by Javier Oropeza where she was appointed as Acting Mayor, this decree was never admitted by the publication office (public records office), and after that, the court did not accept it, so she had to leave. Then the regime appointed an acting mayor, who up to this day directs the destiny of the second most important municipality in the state of Lara.
Timaure mentions that like the rest of her colleagues she has received help from institutions and that during her stay in Colombia she was also concerned that her house was taken by and raided by police officers.
The raiders remain inside the residence to this day and she commented that two vehicles were lost inside it. Her husband managed to leave and enter Colombia in September.
Her experience as a migrant has been difficult, as her mother is an elderly person who demands special attention on a daily basis and being far away there is not much they can do.
The stories of each of the exiles are similar, life as migrants has hit them considerably to the point that most depend on the little they receive from non-governmental institutions.
However, they have expressed being firm and confident that sooner or later this will pass and like millions, the day will come when they can return to their Venezuelan homeland.