In times of economic and political crisis since the 2010s, Venezuelans have often fled to other countries in the Americas and beyond to establish a more sustainable life.
The Venezuelan diaspora is estimated to be as high as 8 to 9 million people as of late 2025, out of a country of about 32 million. [32] [33] It is the largest South American diaspora in the world.
In 1827, a group of Jews moved from Curaçao and settled in Coro, Venezuela. [34] In 1855, rioting in the area forced the entire Jewish population, 168 individuals, back to Curaçao. [34] Assimilation of Jews in Venezuela was difficult, though small communities could be found in Puerto Cabello, Villa de Cura, Carupano, Rio Chico, Maracaibo, and Barquisimeto. [34]
During World War II, the Venezuelan government broke relations with the Axis powers in 1942, with many groups consisting of hundreds of German-Venezuelans leaving Venezuela to be repatriated into Nazi Germany. [35]
In the early 1980s, the Venezuelan government had invested much into the country's infrastructure and communications, though by the mid-1980s when Venezuela faced economic difficulties and inequality increased, some Venezuelans emigrated. [36] Again, at the peak of Venezuela's socioeconomic difficulties in the late 1990s, Venezuelans began to emigrate once more, with some attempting to enter the United States legally and illegally. [37]
During the Bolivarian Revolution, many Venezuelans have sought residence in other countries. According to Newsweek , the "Bolivarian diaspora is a reversal of fortune on a massive scale" as compared to the 20th century, when "Venezuela was a haven for immigrants fleeing Old World repression and intolerance". [30] El Universal explained how the "Bolivarian diaspora" in Venezuela has been caused by the "deterioration of both the economy and the social fabric, rampant crime, uncertainty and lack of hope for a change in leadership in the near future". [29]
In 1998, the year Chavez was first elected, only 14 Venezuelans were granted U.S. asylum. By September 1999, 1,086 Venezuelans were granted asylum according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. [38] It has been calculated that from 1998 to 2013, over 1.5 million Venezuelans (between 4% and 6% of the Venezuela's total population) left the country following the Bolivarian Revolution. [39] Former Venezuelan residents have been driven by lack of freedom, high levels of insecurity, and inadequate opportunities in the country, risking their lives sometimes walking the Darien Gap. [39] [40] It has also been reported that some parents in Venezuela encourage their children to leave the country because of the insecurities Venezuelans face. [40] [41] This has led to significant human capital flight in Venezuela. [29] [39] [42]
By late 2025, the UNHCR reported that approximately 7.9 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants were residing worldwide, with the majority in Latin America. [32]
In 2018, the Brazilian Army launched Operation Welcome to help Venezuelan immigrants arriving in the state of Roraima, which borders Venezuela. [43] [44] [45]
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