Hunger and Repression: Pre-Departure Experiences and PTSD Risk Among Venezuelans in the United States and Colombia

Abstract

Venezuela's national collapse has been one of the most remarkable in recent history. Marked by widespread scarcity, deep poverty, and persistent concerns about authoritarian governance, the crisis has prompted the emigration of ~8 million people since 2015—more than 25% of the once-prosperous nation's population. We examine the roles of pre-migration hunger, government repression, and their interaction in predicting post-migration post-traumatic stress screening diagnoses among Venezuelan migrants in Colombia and the United States. Surveyed in 2023–2024, the sample includes 1241 adults who emigrated from Venezuela since 2015 and resided in either Colombia (n = 566) or the United States (n = 675). Pre-migration hunger is widespread among Venezuelan migrants, as nearly three in every four Venezuelan migrants reported experiencing hunger due to hardship before emigrating. Rates of hunger were dramatically higher among Venezuelan migrants resettled in Colombia, although these differences somewhat attenuated among migrants resettling in recent years. Even though hunger was a significant concern among migrants in both countries, concern about government repression was primarily observed among Venezuelan migrants in the United States. In both countries, we saw that greater levels of pre-migration hunger and concern about repression were significantly associated with an increased risk of PTSD. We have self-reported data on Venezuelans in two national contexts, but the Venezuelan diaspora spans multiple countries. Findings underscore the profound impact of pre-migration hunger and political repression on the mental health of Venezuelan migrants, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address these critical issues.