The whole operation is based on joint services profiting from fraudulent commissions. From the scout looking for travelers by reference to the so-called “public servant” earning bucks on (SEP)…
I
s common knowledge that every humanitarian crisis brings illicit business opportunities with it. Venezuela is no exception. Since Hugo Chavez took power in 1999, all those up to then on-paper-only criminal schemes, waiting for the “right government” to thrive, came to life. As you may or may not know, any project must be systemically organized to succeed. Therefore, each one of them requires planning, logistics, and of course a window of opportunity. In this case, that window is no other than Biden’s immigration policy.
Accordingly, a new business is growing in Venezuela. It is called “The Package”. The structure of “The Package” is in essence no different from any other package that you might have seen popping up on the screen of your laptop or cellphone while browsing for vacations, except for the fact that this package’s goal is to provide the necessary means to those Venezuelans willing to move illegally to the United States. In other words, “The Package” is an all-inclusive service that provides the means and conditions for illegal migratory transition between Venezuela and The United States. A sort of a Coyote’s service, but at a corporate scale. Dramatic images of desperate immigrants crossing Rio Bravo are only the tip of the iceberg of an undergoing operation, away from mass media magnifying glass. The recent coverage of the events at the border depicting immigrants reaching the US soil and received by the US border patrol skyrocketed the demand for “The Package” in Venezuela. Accordingly, a new business is growing in Venezuela. It is called “The Package”. The structure of “The Package” is in essence no different from any other package that you might have seen popping up on the screen of your laptop or cellphone while browsing for vacations, except for the fact that this package’s goal is to provide the necessary means to those Venezuelans willing to move illegally to the United States. In other words, “The Package” is an all-inclusive service that provides the means and conditions for illegal immigration between Venezuela and The United States. A sort of a Coyote’s service, but at a corporate scale. Dramatic images of desperate immigrants crossing Rio Bravo are only the tip of the iceberg of an undergoing operation, away from mass media magnifying glass. The recent coverage of the events at the border depicting immigrants reaching the US soil and received by the US border patrol skyrocketed the demand for “The Package” in Venezuela.
“The Package” includes either ground or air transportation to Mexico where the people finally cross the border heading north. Whether you live in Caracas or in a God’s forgotten human settlement in Chivacoa you are still eligible for the right fee (based on your location). It also includes food, beverages, and appropriate “guidance” (surveillance) between checkpoints during the trip performed by the staff specially appointed to oversee the entire process and, if necessary, act as the liaison between “customers”, “management” and the authorities. “The Package” even offers a “travel insurance” (for an additional charge) that covers illness or accidents during the trip up to 5.000 us dollars.
Provision of official documentation is also on the table (in case you need it). For those Venezuelans in possession of expired passports, which are good to travel to Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica but not to Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico, “The Package” offers an expedited Passport Issuance Service. (SEP) Working closely with Chavista Administrative Service of Identification, Migration, and Foreigners (SAIME). “The Package” guarantees its clients the issuance of official documentation which price oscillates between $350 and $400 per passport, an additional fee that, unlike the charge for “The Package” must be paid separately and upfront to receive the document on time before the travel.
The logistics of such an operation are as impressive as complex. Ground travel is more common than air travel because of the extremely low purchasing power in Venezuela. Still, traveling from Venezuela to Mexican northern borders is, by all means, unpleasant and undesirable. But the people have no choice. Our sources, which will remain confidential (and for exceptionally good reasons) point out segments on the map, along with the always-changing stop locations during the travel that might last up to three weeks (depending on a different set of circumstances and contingencies).
Putting aside the distance between different departing points in Venezuela and either the Department of Northeastern Colombia or La Guajira Department, we count approximately 4120 miles (6630Km), in road surfaces that often deviate from interstates and highways to avoid unnecessary attention. Every checkpoint commonly brings new “guides” who, by the way, “appreciate tips” from individuals that may travel in small groups up to four or five families, mixed with other passengers using public transportation or in a sort of microbuses, although this information remains unclear.
The whole operation is based on joint services profiting from fraudulent commissions. From the scout looking for travelers by reference to the so-called “public servant” earning bucks on (SEP), from the National Guard keeping post on a checkpoint to the customs officer at any migratory point in seven countries including Mexico. The journey is packed with dangers and uncertainty. Still, “The Package” does not offer any liability for whatever could happen to the immigrants during the trip. Of course, because it is a criminal organization. Advice: do not even think about it.
Now, the big question. How much does this “marvel” cost? The price is not quite clear, but according to the source, the estimated amount oscillates between 8,000 to 10,000 us dollars per person, plus $300 “travel insurance”, plus the cost of the passport (if needed). An immigrant should expect additional expenses just to put things on wheels with no refunds and no guarantees at all. The money is taken at some point during the travel. Once the person or family successfully crosses the border, they are on their own. “Customers” are warned from the very beginning. You may end up dead if you refuse to pay, talk about “The Package”, or decide to go to the police. Many are left behind in Central America or Mexico.
At this point, you may wonder where Venezuelans get the money from. There are different sources. Selling estate and some other propriety is the main funding source, family remittances is another. Unconfirmed rumors state that some people are taking “credits” from “The Package”. A credit that must be paid off with huge interest. In the process, the immigrant could be exploited in a low-wage job offered by the very loaners until the debt is consolidated. Now, who is behind all this? Narco-terrorists Tarek El Aissami and Nicolas Maduro along with their criminal syndicates. They are profiting from the US policy that meant to be a humanitarian relief and taking advantage of the Venezuelan exodus to decompress the internal situation preparing the terrain for another fraudulent election in collusion with Juan Guaidó, Leopoldo Lopez, and the rest of the political cartels that serve their purpose as functional opposition.