Venezuelans Must Travel to Caracas for Passport Pickup

Venezuela's SAIME office announced that Venezuelans who requested passports at recently closed consulates must now travel to Caracas to collect them. This decision affects approximately 2.4 million Venezuelans living in seven Latin American countries, complicating their legal status and leaving many without valid identification. The Maduro regime's closure of consulates followed diplomatic tensions with these countries over the legitimacy of the recent presidential election. The situation is exacerbated for those with expired passports, as they face challenges in traveling to Caracas due to financial constraints and the high cost of obtaining new passports, which can amount to four years' worth of minimum wage. Furthermore, the regime's actions have led to increased migration-related issues across the continent, as countries must adapt to the influx of Venezuelans lacking valid documentation. The ongoing crisis highlights the difficulties faced by Venezuelans both domestically and abroad, as they navigate a system that has made obtaining essential documents increasingly difficult, while also dealing with the repercussions of the regime's policies on their ability to travel and work internationally.