–Benn says

MINISTER of Home Affairs Robeson Benn has expressed grave concerns regarding a notable increase of Venezuelan nationals within the prison population, describing it as the most rapidly expanding demographic.

During the Ministry of Home Affairs’ End of Year Review press conference, Minister Benn revealed that there are presently more than 20 Venezuelan nationals incarcerated, engaging in a wide array of crimes including murder, illegal possession of firearms, and minor offenses.

“I think the fastest growing population in the prison is Venezuelan young men and women who get involved in things…. We have 23 in the prison system for a range of issues,” the minister said.
The Minister referred to a recent case involving the arrest of Eliyer Vera Venez, Romel Masim, and Jiminez Rojas in October 2023 for possession of firearms and drugs.

They were charged jointly with four offences; two counts of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, the possession of two Beretta pistols and a Glock pistol without licenses and the possession of 25 matching rounds of ammunition.

The Police arrested the trio at about 17:27 hrs on October 20 at Arakaka, Region One.

Both Rojas and Masim refuted the allegations and were subsequently detained in prison, whereas Venez admitted guilt and received a combined prison sentence of six years.

In a further distressing occurrence from December, Simon Wills, a Venezuelan citizen, was incarcerated for the decapitation of Chetram Ramjattan, a 42-year-old resident of Kilcoy Settlement, Corentyne, Berbice.

The post mortem examination of Ramjattan’s remains indicated that his cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head resulting in a fractured skull.

The mutilated remains of Ramjattan were discovered in a drainage system near Fyrish village, in close proximity to Arjune’s Chicken Farm, on November 30.

The suspect’s place of residence is situated at the back of the property, where the drain is located.

On November 25, Ramjattan vacated his sister’s dwelling and remained out of contact or sight until the discovery of his body.

The tragic loss of life was a direct result of a misunderstanding with nationals from Venezuela, culminating in extensive physical injuries.

Attributing the surge to the influx of Venezuelan migrants in Guyana, Minister Benn pointed out the challenges of dealing with the migrant situation.

He stated, “Our work is cut out in dealing with the migrant situation from Venezuela and from other countries and supporting those persons who come, making sure they are vetted and identified for proper purposes and are supported in our community.”

Venezuelan citizens are migrating to Guyana as a result of economic hardship and the crisis in Venezuela. The progressive decline of social, political, economic, and humanitarian circumstances in Venezuela has resulted in a rising influx of Venezuelan migrants in Guyana since 2018.

A considerable amount of Venezuelans are actively pursuing enhanced opportunities and a superior quality of life in Guyana. The presence of oil in Guyana has additionally facilitated the influx of Venezuelan citizens into the country.

Additionally, the border controversy between Venezuela and Guyana over the Essequibo region has also led to the migration of Venezuelan nationals to Guyana. Over 21,000 Venezuelan immigrants are registered in Guyana.