Journeys of Hope: Venezuelan Families on the Move Across South America

Aguas Verdes, Peru – Five-year-old Maria stands in Aguas Verdes, a Peruvian border village near Ecuador, holding an apple and a smile that defies the hardships endured. Her family’s story mirrors many others who have left Venezuela’s economic situation.

Rosa, Maria’s mother, shares the harrowing story of their journey from Venezuela, driven by the difficulties to afford food and essential medicines. They took a bus across Venezuela until they reached the waiting arms of Cesar’s father across the border in Colombia. Now the family is heading to Lima hoping to find a brighter future.

“Many of us suddenly found ourselves with nothing but a little bag of dreams to hold onto as we seek to work and rebuild our lives,” said Francis, Maria’s father, seated in a Point of Assistance and Orientation among a pile of bags containing their belongings. 

Cesar’s family is one of approximately 200 Venezuelans who cross the border on foot every day, seeking destinations in Peru and beyond. During their journeys, migrants can be at risk of sexual exploitation, abuse and other forms of violence, and have little or no access to health care and basic services.

These “caminantes” (walkers), who travel hundreds of kilometres on foot, brave dangers ranging from criminal groups and smugglers that control the region to natural hazards, which are particularly acute for young women and families with small children. Many people walk and hitchhike for months along mountain roads that connect cities like Bogota, Quito, and Lima with Santiago de Chile and La Paz. 

Finding a safe space for aid

Every day, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) teams provide vital assistance to migrants in transit by distributing food, water, hygiene kits, and information about the road ahead. “People do not need to come to us. Instead, we come to them," explains Pedro Balladares, IOM field officer, while assisting migrants on the road. “The people are in a difficult situation. They have travelled very far.”

IOM is also providing assistance in Aguas Verdes and other border points across the country, allowing for a rapid assessment of people's needs and a tailored response, while working with other actors to effectively coordinate humanitarian efforts.

Peru is the second largest destination for Venezuelan migrants and refugees globally, at 1.5 million. The northern border is the main entry point for people, linking Aguas Verdes with the Ecuadorian city of Huaquillas.

In 2023, over 162,000 migrants and refugees, primarily from Venezuela, entered Peru through this border, while almost 120,000 people left through the same crossing. For some, it’s just a stop on the way north to Mexico or the United States, or south to countries like Bolivia and Chile.

Longing for home

In the desolate expanse of the Atacama Desert, where the relentless wind of the Pacific Ocean whips across the landscape, families such us José, 42, his wife Nirma, and their two children find themselves seeking refuge under makeshift shelters, cocooned beneath blankets to shield themselves from the scorching sun in the southern Peruvian border with Chile.

Having trekked for five hours, this family’s journey spans two months and some 5,000 kilometres since leaving Venezuela on foot. They passed through four border crossings during the trip. "It was the first time we had encountered such harsh weather. This segment is undeniably the most challenging," said José, a secondary school teacher in his native Venezuela, sunburned and wary as the jarring conditions have taken their toll on this family of four.

Amidst the vast desert emptiness, hundreds of migrants and refugees, mainly Venezuelans, are hoping to cross from Peru to Chile or vice versa. Among them are families with young children, breastfeeding mothers, and shoeless toddlers playing in the desert sand, their lives marked by both uncertainty and resilience.

But beneath the pendular numbers and migration routes are the actual people experiencing the realities of life on the move. For 36-year-old Kevin, the pull of home is overwhelming and compelling him to return. Kevin had travelled with his wife and son to Chile in search of a job in 2017. Over the years, as their family grew, memories of home and loved ones lingered, prompting them to return to Venezuela. "I haven’t seen my mother, grandparents, uncles or aunts in six years. They still don't know my son," he said echoing the sentiments of many migrants while receiving assistance from IOM in the southern border.

There are others like Erwin, who managed to save money while working in a fast-food restaurant in Chile and had been planning the trip home since last year. "Our roots are there; it's the place we were born and where we have lived our entire lives. It's home to our families and childhood friends, and we hope to see them again one day," he said, accompanied by his loyal pet whose presence makes the journey more bearable.

This story was written by Gema Cortés, IOM Media and Communications Unit, Office of the Special Envoy for the Regional Response to the Venezuelan Situation.