Breaking Down Barriers: Understanding the Key Factors That Shape the Quality of Life for Venezuelan Migrants before, during, and after Resettling in Colombia

Background: Immigration patterns have historically occurred from low and middle-income countries to high-income countries. Recently, the world has experienced a shift in these immigration patterns where thousands of immigrants from low and middle-income countries are resettling in other low and middle-income countries throughout South and Central America. The most recent example is the case of Venezuelan migrants. Approximately 6 million people have left Venezuela, and nearly 2 million have resettled in Colombia. Given that the Venezuelan crisis started in the last seven years, not much research has been conducted on understanding Venezuelan families' experiences during their migration and resettlement process in Colombia. This study aimed to address the gaps in the literature by interviewing Venezuelan caregivers who had recently migrated to Colombia. To recenter knowledge, it is important to investigate Latin American immigrants' experiences in other contexts besides the United States.

Methods: Thirty Venezuelan caregivers who immigrated to Colombia from Venezuela in 2016 were virtually interviewed between October 2021 and February 2022. Also, 20 providers who worked predominantly with Venezuelan immigrant populations were interviewed to have different perspectives on the population's needs. Data were collected and analyzed in Spanish using thematic network analysis to maintain the true essence of the data. Quotes were then translated into English.

Results: Most caregivers were female (n = 29; 97%), biological mothers (n = 24; 80%), with a median age of 34. Most caregivers spent one to five years in Colombia (n = 22; 73%). Regarding providers, most were also female (n = 14; 70%) with a median age of 35. Most providers (n = 13; 65%) had been practicing for at least five years. Four themes emerged around the quality of life that Venezuelan migrants had before, during, and after resettling in Colombia: 1) The pervasive experiences of political violence in Venezuela not only encompass the traumatic experiences of violence during forced migration but also extend to ongoing discrimination and violence in Colombia. These factors gravely curtail the affected individuals' overall quality of life.; 2) The lack of basic necessities before, during, and after migration undermines the ability to rebuild and resettle in Colombia; 3) significant challenges arising from a lack of financial assistance before, during, and after migration; and 4) The restricted access to educational opportunities due to immigration status upon arrival in Colombia not only limits the potential for upward mobility but also perpetuates the cycle of poverty and social exclusion.

Conclusions and implications: The study's findings shed light on the intricate and multifaceted nature of the migration process and highlight the unique challenges Venezuelan immigrants face in Colombia. The study's results have important implications for policymakers, service providers, and other stakeholders who are invested in the welfare of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia and other low-income receiving countries. The study also emphasizes the importance of taking a nuanced and comprehensive approach to understand the migration experiences of Latin American immigrants in non-U.S. contexts. Understanding the experiences that Venezuelan immigrant caregivers provide will inform the development and/or adaptation of culturally grounded interventions.