UNHCR presents: Verborgen Leven

In Verborgen Leven (Hidden Life) by Martin Maat and Hans Hermans, Venezuelan refugees talk about their lives in the shadows within our kingdom: in Aruba and Curaçao. About their flight, detention, exploitation and fear of deportation. Introduced by UNHCR and with after-party discussion with filmmaker Martin Maat, UNHCR representative Irene van Rij and host Jouman Fattal.

Venezuelans fleeing to Curaçao and Aruba end up in a legal vacuum. An estimated minimum of 23.000 Venezuelans on the islands cannot apply for asylum. Even though the islands are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, there is no asylum procedure in place. The Venezuelans live in the shadows, without access to legal employment or healthcare.

Together, they share their experiences of the dangerous journey across the sea, their stay in the detention centre in Curaçao, the lack of access to medical care, exploitation by employers, and the constant fear of deportation to Venezuela. Like ‘Julia’, a single mother who has been separated from her children and mother for seven years. And ‘Carlos’, who sends the money he earns as a construction worker on Curaçao to his sick mother in Venezuela.