The politics of movement between Venezuela and Colombia. Myths, realities and conflicts.
This essay examines the intense flow and re-flow of transnational migrants between Venezuela and Colombia, applying the theory suggested by Thomas Nail in his work the Figure of the Migrant. We initially focus on the regimes of social motion, and how they link with the political figures of migrants and the strategies of expulsion. Then, we consider the demographic contribution of Colombian diaspora in Venezuela and the socio-political repercussion of their current migratory crisis reverse movement. In pursuing the latter goal, we use primary sources like interviews and discuss censuses and surveys from both countries. We concluded that the current migratory flood is shaped by decades of Colombian immigration to Venezuela and the much quoted exodus is part of a new Cold War narrative.