Crisis-struck Venezuelans turning to Lebanon

ENAR

Venezuela teeters on the brink of further deterioration from years of political and economic instability. With self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guiado on one side standing in opposition to current president Nicolas Maduro, the county’s future is uncertain. As with most modern conflicts, what happens in Venezuela has global implications, and this Latin American crisis may even touch as far as Lebanon. Hyperinflation, food and medicine shortages, rising crime rates, and a progressively authoritarian government, have caused many to flee Venezuela over the past few years. Most of those who fled have sought refuge in neighboring countries; according to a report by thinktank Council on Foreign Relations, as of last January there were around 3.4 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants—up from just 0.7 million in 2015—with Colombia hosting the most refugees at 1.1 million and Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, and the US also receiving sizeable numbers. And because of generation-old links