The New York Time Monday, September 25, 2023

Why Are so many Venezuelans Going to the United States?

Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have arrived at the United States border in the last two years.

Venezuela was once among the wealthiest countries in Latin America, its economy buoyed by profits from vast oil reserves - the largest proven reserves in the world- that supported celebrateed universities, a respected public health system and a flourishing middle class. But the economy crashed in the mid-2010s amid mismanagement of the oil sector by an authoritarian government claiming socialist ideals, now led by President Nicolas maduro. Tough sanctions imposed by the United States in 2019 have exacerbated the situation.

The average salary for a public-school teacher or nurse is roughly $3 a month, the average salary for a private sector employee is $160 - and the monthly cost to simply feed a family of four is $372.

Is the early days of the crisis, millions of Venezuelans migrated to other countries in South America. Colombia, Venezuela's neighbor, received the largest part of the exodus-more than two million people.

The health care situation is dire. Public hostpitals lack basic supplies and are overwhelmed. At the same time, the electricity and gasoline shortages that characterized the early days of the crisis continue because of the country's deteriorating infrastructure. Caracas, the capital, has suffered almost daily electricity cuts in the last year, while lines for subsidized gasoline last up to six hours. The situation beyond the capital is worse. 

Running water arrives about once a week, Ms. Anderson said, and on those days the family fills every bucket they has to save for the future.

For nearly a decade, human rights acrivists have documented detailed allegations of torture, forced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and sexaul violence orchestrated by the state authorities.

A presidential election is planned for next year. But many international observers are skepical that the election will be free and fair, especially since Maduro government has disqualified leading opposition candidates.

 

 

buoy : 떠받치다, 부양하다 = support

reserves : 매장량 = exploitable amount of fossil fuel

respected : 상당한, 수준급의 = considerable

flourishing : 번창하는, 건강한 = thriving, healthy

crash : 추락하다, 폭망하다 = collapes, be ruined

mismanagement : 관리실패

authoritarian : 권위주의적인, 독재의 = dictatorial

exacerbate : 악화시키다 = aggravate, deteriorate

migrate : (일시적으로) 이주하다, 이동하다 (cf. immigrate, emigrate 영구적으로. 이민을 들어오다. 이민을 나가다)

exodus : 대탈출 = exit, flight

dire : 끔찍한 = dreadful, terrible

overwhelm : 압도하다 = overpower

subsidized : 보조금을 받는 = supported

running water : 상수도 = tap water

allegation : 주장, 진술 = assertion, statement

arbitrary detention : 임의적인 구금, 자의적인 구금

orchestrate : 조직하다, 통제하다 = organize, arrange

 

 

since : ~한 이후로, ~ 때문에 

 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/24/world/americas/why-are-so-many-venezuelans-going-to-the-united-states.html