The “Bolivarian Diaspora” from Venezuela: People Fleeing a Political Cancer

The Socialism that destroyed the nation of Venezuela is like an ideological or political cancer. The “Bolivarian Diaspora,” which has been recognized by numerous observers as the largest recorded refugee crisis in the Americas, is a direct result of the “Bolivarian Revolution” initiated by Hugo Chavez and prolonged by Nicolás Maduro. The already strained economies of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru, are now facing even greater economic stress as these nations are all attempting to do what they are able to help the fleeing Venezuelan refugees. The problem did not originate in their nations, yet the problem is generating collateral problems as it explodes beyond the borders of Venezuela.