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Why Colombia has taken in 1 million Venezuelans

Vox | October 3, 2025



The border of unity.
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With original music by Tom Fox: https://m.soundcloud.com/user-416166523

Colombia is currently dealing with a massive wave of refugees coming from Venezuela. Venezuelans are fleeing their home because of a severe economic crisis under President Nicolas Maduro. There are high inflation rates and there isn’t enough food available for people within Venezuela to even eat. Thousands of Venezuelans cross the Simon Bolivar bridge located at Cúcuta every day and Colombia doesn’t seem to be turning anyone way.

This borders episode looks at why Colombia doesn’t turn away these refugees, the shared history of the two nations and how there may be a limit to Colombia’s acceptance of incoming Venezuelans.

Vox Borders is an international documentary series by Emmy-nominated producer Johnny Harris exploring life at the edge of nations. For more, visit vox.com/borders.

Watch the full season of Vox Borders: Colombia

Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU0RqwweuWY
Episode 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_ViOLgvsuY
Episode 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55mpzrRHmFA
Episode 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDa_SpvbeCQ
Bonus episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq7qbXcmba0

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Written by Vox

Comments

This post currently has 50 comments.

  1. @johnnyharris

    October 3, 2025 at 1:00 am

    Thanks so much to everyone who has tuned in, commented, and shared their excitement for Borders! I'm so thrilled to share this latest season with you. I'll be around in the comments (and the chat before this episode premieres) to take your questions. Let me know what's on your mind. – Johnny

  13. @FGPR01BrunoCauz

    October 3, 2025 at 1:00 am

    Not even in the wildest dreams would any Venezuelan have imagined this for real, perhaps as a joke. It is unfortunate that Venezuela at one time was a kind of Noah's ark, that is, when the ship caught fire for many, they left as best they could until they reached that country and I think they did for decades, now that the ark or ship caught fire for Venezuelans, almost no one wants to help. Many will complain about the criminals who have left Venezuela and they are right; but I think that for Venezuela they were not 100% blameless people at one time either.
    PS: I hope that at one time Venezuela can get back on its feet with the help of its own people and value more what they have, in addition to learning that you can't help everyon

  15. @vinucete

    October 3, 2025 at 1:00 am

    6 years later, I’m here to ask if you could please make an update of this video. The UN gave Colombia a lot of money to help Venezuelans during this crisis, but the Colombian government failed to deliver, and the reasons why are still up for debate. I know this first hand because I am Venezuelan, born and raised. I came to the US in 2014, but my parents stayed in Venezuela until 2019, which is when they decided to emigrate to Bogota, Colombia. My stepdad was petitioned by his son, who is a Colombian citizen, and he quickly got residency.

    Meanwhile, my mother had to go through the regular process designated for Venezuelans, the PEP. It was 3 years of filing paperwork, showing up to periodic interviews and immigration check ins, and advocating for herself, and she never received any permit to work documentation. She was unable to get a local ID issued in her name. She couldn’t work legally, she couldn’t sign an apartment lease agreement and she couldn’t even open a bank account to her name. I had to send her money from the US using Western Union, so she could get the equivalent in pesos (in cash), and she wasn’t even allowed to get the money herself, due to not having a Colombian ID. Instead, I had to send it to my stepdad’s name. My stepdad couldn’t petition her even though she is his legal wife, because he needed to first be living in Colombia as a legal resident for 7 years, so then he could apply for citizenship and then, finally, petition his wife.

    After a couple of years of her having to leave Colombia, and come to stay with me in the US for a few days to restart her “visitor’s clock” in Colombia (visitors are only allowed 6 months at a time), they decided that they needed to leave the country. Had she not done that a couple of times, she would have been marked as someone who overstayed her visitor’s stay in Colombia. Her documentation process (called PEP) never came to fruition, and in 2022 she and my stepdad moved to the US for good. They were incredibly blessed to be able to do that second emigration to another country, legally, and to start all over again in their 50s… But there are millions of other Venezuelans who don’t have the resources and are now stuck in an migratory limbo in Colombia, without legal documentation. They are there without means to work, surviving off of the goodwill of others, and even panhandling. They are treated like vermin, and they have also put significant strains on the Colombian society, at large.

    I have watched many of your videos and I hope that you can some time shed light on this humanitarian issue, Johnny. Me and my family are here for you to provide any information that you might need to cover this issue. Thank you.

  30. @davidmangs6111

    October 3, 2025 at 1:00 am

    A million thanks to the Columbia people for sheltering the Venezuelan people who are fleeing tyranny under the corrupt dictator Maduro and his AXIS allies (Russian, China, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Nicaragua).

  38. @grimnir4197

    October 3, 2025 at 1:00 am

    The majority of Colombians, Chileans, Peruvians, Mexicans and Argentines want the Venezuelans out.

    You just have to search in Spanish for "Venezolanos en" and then enter the name of any Latin American country and see how the news from that country talks about how all its citizens want them to leave.

    And it is not because of an issue of Xenophobia or Racism, because this does not happen with Haitian immigrants (even despite speaking another language) or with any immigrant from any other Latin American country, only with Venezuelans.

    This is due to the petty attitude they have towards the people who host them, being offended if they offer them work and only accepting alms at best, at worst, I have read at least 7 cases in different countries of how one person extends his hand to them and they murder them to keep their houses and lands.

    I don't know what the issue of migration is like in the United States, but if it is ultimately similar to this, then I understand why there are people who support Trump with so much enthusiasm.

  42. @mariamartinademarte

    October 3, 2025 at 1:00 am

    The only bad thing is that at least in Medellin, you hear people kinda hating Venezuelans who crossed because they turn into robbing and illegal stuff and raise violence (what I hear from family there all the time). I hope it's not that bad :c

  45. @solitaring

    October 3, 2025 at 1:00 am

    Ask Colombians (actual Colombians in Colombia) how they feel about the Venezuelan migrants now. See how many apartments are for rent with signs saying “SE ARRIENDA, NO VENEZOLANOS.” Ask Perú, Ecuador, Brazil, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Chile and México about the Venezuelan migrants. A lot are entitled and it’s common to see them begging instead of looking for a job. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Comments are closed.

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