Venezuela Election: More Venezuelans Might Migrate and Head to US if Nicolas Maduro Gets Re-Elected

People are already leaving Venezuela under the dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro, often heading to the US-Mexico border to escape the hardships there. Should Maduro win the election, more may follow as Venezuela may continue its economic hardships under the Chavista regime.

Previously, the Maduro regime denied reports that Venezuelans were fleeing the country to try their luck at the US border, choosing the hardship of going through the infamous Darien Gap and maybe getting deported once they reach the US rather than continue living in Venezuela.

The Maduro regime called news of Venezuelans fleeing as a professionally scripted, "Hollywood-type blockbuster," with Maduro allies saying that this piece of news was made by a "media apparatus." These days, however, Maduro has changed his tune as he has styled himself as a "defender" of migrants, many of whom are fleeing his own regime.

Despite this, more and more Venezuelans are thinking about leaving should the dictator somehow get re-elected. This includes 18-year-old Arnaldo Benitez, who told the Associated Press what he wants to do should Maduro win the July 28 election.

"I love Venezuela. I would like to pursue a medical career here, but one must think about the future," said the teen. "I want my family to have a decent life and not be thinking 'I can't afford this or that.' So, I have to plan for a better future even if it unfortunately means leaving Venezuela."

Colombia Warns More Venezuelans Might Flee If Nicolas Maduro Wins the Election

More and more Venezuelans are thinking about fleeing, with a Delphos poll showing that people between the ages of 18 and 34 were more likely to consider leaving Venezuela. Other countries are now bracing for an influx of migrants should Maduro win.

Colombia's migration chief, Fernando Garcia, told the US Congress that the government "should expect a large influx of Venezuelan migrants" should this happen, with Garcia adding that the reimposing of US sanctions combined with a Maduro victory would be enough to push more people to leave Venezuela.

While many Venezuelans have settled in nearby countries around Latin America, a lot of them still want to go to the US where many are led to believe that they would lead a better life there than in other Latin American countries.

Little-Known Edmundo Gonzalez Is Leading Nicolas Maduro in the Polls as the Venezuela Election Nears

Meanwhile, if the Venezuelan election is to be free and fair, and if polls are to be believed, opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, a little-known diplomat who was forced to replace opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado, is leading against Nicolas Maduro.

According to AS/COA, Gonzalez is ahead with 61% of the vote in a recent Meganálisis poll, with Maduro only getting 9.8% of the vote. The poll was held from May 16-23. The former diplomat also leads in two earlier polls, getting at least 50% in each of them, while Maduro struggled with less than 20% in those polls.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: A decade under Maduro, migration, hardship marks Venezuelans' lives - AP Archive