Some Venezuelan migrants in Guyana finding themselves in prison – Benn

Guyana continues to see an influx of migrants coming to settle here and Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn on Wednesday said that the country’s prison population now consists of 23 Venezuelan nationals.

According to Benn, these nationals found themselves behind bars after being involved in criminal acts, mainly the illegal possession of firearms and murders that are disorderly in nature.

“We have 23 Venezuelans in the prison system ranging for various issues such as illegal possession of firearms and murders, disorderly mainly,” Benn revealed at his ministry’s end in review press conference.

To date, there are some 28,000 Venezuelan migrants in Guyana.

Many claimed that they have come here in search of jobs so that their families can live a better life.

Benn said the Immigration Support Service, which falls under the preview of the Ministry of Home Affairs, continues to receive applications from persons desirous of attaining Guyanese citizenship.

To date, they have received 355 applications for naturalization and registration and another 633 for descent.

“The Immigration Support Service is a particular active area….Of course there has now been a large number of persons who want to become Guyanese by descent or by naturalization.

“There are a large number of people who have to get upgrades to the documentations which they have,” Benn said.