Félix Bustamante, a Venezuelan lawyer living in Gran Canaria for nine years, shared his testimony on the 'Herrera en COPE Gran Canaria' program, detailing the reasons that led him to leave his country in September 2017. The main cause was an unsustainable economic and political situation, marked by a macro-evaluation that skyrocketed the cost of living to exorbitant levels.
“"It reached a point where it was at 2,000,000% and a little more than one hundred."
Although the idea of emigrating had been on his mind since 2016, the turning point came in July 2017, after a controversial election in the National Assembly. That same night, the dollar's value soared from 11 to 21 bolivars, later climbing to 80. This drastic devaluation was the trigger that led him to calculate that the situation would be unsustainable in a few months, forcing him to decide to emigrate to avoid the effects of hyperinflation on his daily and professional life.
The hyperinflation was so uncontrolled that it affected all aspects of life, including his work as a lawyer specializing in real estate. The volatility of prices made it impossible to sign budgets, with price changes occurring within hours, illustrating the economic chaos in the country.
Beyond the economy, Bustamante describes a society with broken fundamental pillars, where the separation of powers had not existed since 1999 and the judiciary was controlled by Chavismo. This lack of judicial independence resulted in total helplessness against the State, where resolutions depended on political affiliation.
Originally from Táchira, a border province with Colombia, Bustamante also witnessed repression and insecurity firsthand. He mentions the case of Rufo Chacón, a young man who lost his sight due to pellet gunshots during a demonstration. Daily life was marked by the collapse of essential public services, such as electricity, where people joked about saying “the light came” instead of “the light went out,” highlighting the normalization of scarcity.
“"People, as a joke, no longer said 'the light went out,' people said 'the light came,' as if it were normal for there to be no electricity service."
Recently, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez called on Venezuelans abroad to return. However, Bustamante remains skeptical. While acknowledging the need for the diaspora's knowledge and experience to rebuild the country, he does not believe current conditions are favorable. His life and that of his family, including parents and daughters, are now established in Gran Canaria, an island he moved to on his brother's recommendation due to its similar climate to his homeland.
The lawyer points out that the diaspora has dismantled social and family networks, making a potential return difficult. He believes that returning might be quicker for those who emigrated to other Latin American countries, but not for those in Europe or the United States. Regarding the possibility of short-term democratic elections, he is cautious, suggesting that the United States' priority for Venezuelan oil supply might delay free elections until the end of the year or next year.
