- Venezuelan emigrants face bureaucratic and logistical barriers in registering to vote.
- Only a fraction of the nearly 8 million eligible emigrants have successfully registered.
- Issues include closed consulates, stringent document requirements, and distant polling stations.
Many Venezuelan migrants in South America and Europe are struggling to register to vote in their country’s presidential election. Despite over half of the nearly 8 million Venezuelan emigrants being of voting age, only about 68,000 have managed to register due to a variety of bureaucratic and logistical hurdles.
Closed consulates, requests for unnecessary documents, and stringent residency requirements have severely limited their participation.
Barriers to Voting for Venezuelans Abroad
In Spain, for instance, voters were required to show a 12-month residency permit, which many could not provide due to annual renewals for humanitarian reasons. Similarly, in Uruguay, potential voters needed a five-year residency permit, but initial permits are only granted for three years. These barriers have left many Venezuelans disenfranchised in a crucial election seen as a last chance to rescue their economy.
In Spain, Venezuelan citizens needed a 12-month residency permit to register, a requirement that many could not meet due to the annual renewal of humanitarian permits. Similarly, in Uruguay, the requirement for a five-year residency permit proved insurmountable, as initial permits are only valid for three years. These stringent requirements have disenfranchised many Venezuelans living abroad.
Logistical challenges also play a significant role. In southern Brazil, the nearest polling station for Venezuelans is in the capital, Brasilia, which is 2,100 kilometers away for some voters. This distance makes it practically impossible for many to travel and cast their votes, especially for those without the financial means to do so.
Despite these challenges, some Venezuelans remain determined to participate in the election. Mariana Pinero, for example, couldn’t register in Buenos Aires due to the consulate’s closure, but she has booked a ticket to Venezuela to cast her vote in person. This determination highlights the diaspora’s commitment to influencing their country’s future despite significant obstacles.
The bureaucratic and logistical barriers faced by Venezuelans abroad in registering to vote highlight the challenges of maintaining democratic participation among a dispersed and often struggling diaspora. Their determination to overcome these obstacles underscores the high stakes of the upcoming election for Venezuela’s future.
“This campaign is different because it is the people who are mobilized, not the political parties,” said Lorena Lima, reflecting the grassroots efforts of the Venezuelan diaspora to participate in the election despite significant hurdles.
