Beatriz, a Venezuelan lawyer, and her son reached Chile yesterday at 4:30 am, made it through Chilean immigration ok. She was robbed by Venezuelan border guards on her way out, but she managed to get away with $1000 she had put in a very secret place (I had told her she was likely to be robbed, to keep a believable amount of money in her purse, and hide everything else).
She says the border guards were very happy to see she had USA dollars they could steal, and since she kept quiet they didn't search her bag thoroughly, so she managed to arrive in Chile with her diplomas, birth certificates, reference letters, and other documents which will help her get a visa. Chile is being very kind with Venezuelan refugees, so there's a huge flow by road and air.
Beatriz says it's very cold in Santiago, so she was going to buy two air mattresses and two blankets. She has friends who took her in, but they don't have the furniture or beds for her to use. I suggested she also buy warm clothing, and go to the market, buy vegetables and chicken to make soup, because she has to keep herself and her son warm. Getting sick at this point in time would be a serious blow because she's there on a tourist visa, and has no right to public health care services.
Based on the number of Venezuelans who went to the opposition sponsored consultation on July 16th, there are 2 million Venezuelans abroad, and roughly 50 thousand per month are leaving. This exodus doesn't seem to get much coverage.
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