Fourteen Venezuelans fleeing their homeland have been arrested at a beach in south Trinidad. The Venezuelans had no passports or supporting documents. Police said they were being escorted by two Trinidadian men at Los Iros when they were apprehended around 8:30 pm on Friday. Investigators said there were five Venezuelan men, five women, and four children. None of them could speak English. They were taken to the Erin Police Station where they were questioned by Immigration officials with the aid of a translator. The children were expected to be taken to the Children's Authority.
Since the political crisis intensified in Venezuela last January, police said more Venezuelans have been coming to Trinidad. An estimated 700 Venezuelans enter the country legally every week through the Cedros port, but more than half of this amount has reportedly entered illegally through the porous borders. It is estimated that over 60,000 Venezuelans have settled in T&T out of the 3.6 million which fled the country within recent times. Minister of National Security Stuart Young announced in February that all Venezuelans in T&T will be registered and given the option of working for a year.