WILLEMSTAD — The foundation Salú pa Tur, which provides medical care to refugees and undocumented migrants on Curaçao, says it has not seen any rise in the number of people seeking help following the recent escalation in tensions between the United States and Venezuela.
In recent weeks, concerns have circulated locally about a possible new wave of Venezuelan migrants heading toward Curaçao. However, according to Salú pa Tur, daily operations remain steady and there has been no noticeable change in patient intake linked to developments in the region.
Founded in 2019, the foundation focuses on delivering basic healthcare to uninsured migrants. Chairman Jules Pieters explained that while many of their patients come from Venezuela and Colombia, the organization also assists people from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and other neighboring countries.
Salú pa Tur currently has around 9,000 registered patients. With a small but diverse team — including two doctors, a psychologist, an outreach nurse, a midwife, and telephone consultation services — the foundation provides care to roughly 80 people each day. “We are busy,” Pieters said, “but we are not busier than usual since the situation involving Venezuela.”
Curaçao has long been one of the main destinations for Venezuelan refugees in the region. Along with Aruba, the island ranks among the top five countries worldwide in hosting Venezuelan refugees per capita, according to figures from the UN Refugee Agency. This reality has had a significant social and economic impact on local communities.
Despite this, Salú pa Tur says it is too early to predict whether regional political developments could eventually lead to increased migration. Pieters noted that the foundation is closely focused on current needs and declined to speculate about future trends, emphasizing that there is, for now, no concrete evidence of a new influx.