Colombian President's Order to Deport Undocumented Migrants Sparks Uncertainty Among Venezuelans The announcement by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella to launch operations targeting undocumented migrants and deport them has created significant uncertainty among Venezuelans living in the country, particularly those who have not yet regularized their status. The president’s directive, issued on Sunday, called for coordinated efforts with Barranquilla police to identify and deport undocumented individuals, prioritizing those committing crimes and those without legal documentation. Venezuelan legal expert César González, based in Colombia, expressed deep concern over the policy, stating that the population is “extremely worried” and struggling to assess the impact. “We haven’t even been able to count the number of people contacting us to seek options,” he told The Associated Press. Colombia, which hosts the largest Venezuelan diaspora in the region, has welcomed over 2.8 million migrants from Venezuela since the country’s political and social crisis began more than a decade ago. According to official data, over 527,000 Venezuelans remain in the country without complying with migration regulations. Migración Colombia, the country’s migration authority, clarified that the new director of the agency has not yet taken office, leaving the implementation of the president’s orders to be handled by the current leadership. The agency emphasized that its role would involve executing the government’s decisions on migration control, regularization, and potential deportations. De la Espriella, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, had previously pledged during his campaign to “return” Venezuelans who violated Colombian law.#abelardo_de_la_espriella #colombian_president #barranquilla_police #cesar_gonzalez #migracion_colombia
