Arepas, shopping and new neighborhoods, Venezuelans put 'chévere' flavor in South Florida

It is hard to believe that there was a time in South Florida in which to get an arepa, a cachapa, a cachito - not to mention hallacas or ham bread - could be considered an excursion trip and complete luxury.

The first Venezuelan immigrants, such as Ernesto Ackerman, who arrived in Miami in 1989, remember that Creole cravings were often pleasing in a single restaurant whose name gives no clue to the nation of Simon Bolivar. European Corner opened in 1993 by Carlos and Alba Tassi in southwest Miami-Dade, and during the first decade, did not have significant competition throughout the county.

"There was a very small Venezuelan community in the Kendall area, there were no Venezuelan organizations, and we Venezuelans did not know each other," says Ackerman in the tone of one who remembers a past so remote that it seems fictional.

For his part, Oscar Puig-Corve arrived in South Florida with his family in 1982 when he was 14 and recalls that in his school of about 1,000 students there were only two Venezuelans: he and another boy.

Glory to the brave people

Obviously, since then, Venezuelans have been slowly creeping into South Florida, transforming the cultural mosaic that defines Miami-Dade County. The restaurants that offer the "Creole pavilion" have been leveled with those who give "old clothes" and "paisa tray" and at the same time, two strong communities have emerged in Doral and Weston, which have earned cities the nicknames of "Doralzuela" and "Westonzuela". All this in 15 years.

As summarized by Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Miami Dade College, Richard Tapia, "Venezuelans bring to Miami what many Hispanic American communities bring: their taste, their music, their culture, which allows Miami to truly be the capital of the Americas ".

Another important contribution of Venezuelans to the county is the economic issue. This is the nationality that has bought the most houses during the last years, a trend that surprises some before the critical economic crisis that the South American country lives.

But Venezuelans have also dedicated - for migratory or personal reasons - to open all types of businesses in South Florida. Although restaurants are the most notorious, the reality is that Venezuelans have achieved a niche in all branches.

Ackerman and Puig remember that the first companies of their compatriots were companies dedicated to load, transport and export. But in recent years there have been even branches of companies recognized in Venezuela, such as the Locatel pharmacy, the Prosein construction shop and even the Vallés funeral home.

Down Chains!

For those Venezuelans who have witnessed the change, the migration of compatriots began to grow proportionately with the establishment of the "21st century socialism" of former President Hugo Chavez. Previously, according to Alba Tassi, the founder of the European Corner restaurant, Venezuelans did not migrate, but traveled everywhere with their popular phrase: "It's cheap, give me two!"

The first wave of immigration came in 2003 after some 17,000 employees of the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) were fired for having participated in the national strike from December 2, 2002 to February 3, 2003. Chavez even fired on national chain to senior executives whom he called by first and last name, followed by a shout of "Pa 'out."