Marco Rubio’s unusual proposal to “protect” Venezuelans in the US
On October 16, Democratic Senator Bob Menéndez denounced that the Trump administration used third countries to deport Venezuelan migrants
In the US presidential campaign, Venezuela and the supposed “protection” of Venezuelans in that country is the fixed discourse of both candidates. But how true is the favorable policy for Venezuelan migrants on US soil?
The EFE agency confirmed that despite the speeches “in favor” of Venezuelans, both by Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the US anti-immigrant policy continues to hit hard on Venezuelans living in that country. In the end, many are deported, even amid the unilateral blockade imposed that prohibits flights to and from Venezuela.
On October 16, Democratic Senator Bob Menéndez denounced that the Trump administration used third countries to deport Venezuelan migrants. This strategy served him to avoid a ban on flights to Venezuela that he himself decreed in 2019.
Menéndez, who does not stop promoting the campaign against Venezuela and the Government of Nicolás Maduro, affirmed that the deportations took place, at least, until March 2020. He also assured that the flights from the United States made a stopover in Trinidad and Tobago before arriving in Venezuela.
Faced with this reality, on Monday, Republican Senator Marco Rubio proposed to Trump that he should “mark” Venezuelan immigrants. It would be a “benefit” known as Deferred Mandatory Departure (DED). The measure forces them to leave the United States after a certain time. However, in the meantime they will have permission to work legally.
Venezuelans will have safe expulsion
Rubio noted that this “benefit” allows Venezuelans to live for a limited period before being deported. In his letter, Rubio, who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Foreign Relations for the Western Hemisphere, encouraged Trump to exercise his “constitutional authority”. For the congressman, that means granting a DED only “to eligible Venezuelan nationals residing in the United States”.
“Such designation is consistent with — and promotes — the foreign policy priorities of your Administration with respect to Venezuela, as well as support for our neighbors”, he said. Rubio is a senator from Florida, a key state in the November elections, due to its large population of Venezuelans and Cubans.
Rubio admits that the measure does not provide permanent status. But, his proposal was born because “the United States must ensure that it does not deport people back to a country where the illegitimate regime (sic) and its security forces routinely carry out extrajudicial killings, disappearances and torture of political opponents”.
“The DED provides a temporary administrative suspension of expulsion for nationals of countries designated by the president”, said Rubio. This would allow them “to work legally in the country for the duration of the appointment”.
Complicity of the Guaidó lobby
The senator seeks to stigmatize Venezuelans in the United States and forces them to leave the country after a time. The proposal was applauded by Carlos Vecchio, a self-described “ambassador” of the Juan Guaidó lobby before the Trump government.
“A mechanism is necessary that allows Venezuelans to live and work legally in the United States without fear of being deported”. This was expressed by Vecchio on his Twitter account.
To capture the vote of Venezuelan migrants, Trump has radicalized the total blockade against Venezuela and its oil industry. PDVSA is the country’s main source of resources and deepening unilateral coercive measures aggravates the quality of life of its people. In reality, Venezuelans are victims of restrictions such as those that the Cuban people have experienced for almost 60 years.
Finally, the EFE agency points out that the community of Venezuelans in the United States is around between 480,000 and 600,000 people.
