Illinois Venezuelans face economic 'double whammy'

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(The Center Square) – An Illinois Venezuelan Alliance leader says inflation is a double whammy for members of his community.

Jose Morales, vice president of the IVA’s board of directors, said traveling to Venezuela is easier after the United States removed former President Nicolas Maduro in January.

Morales told The Center Square there is not yet reason for Venezuelans to return.

“A lot of people are not making plans of coming back when you have inflation of over 300% and there are no jobs and there are no services. As you have seen, electricity, health, and even food security is not right where it should be,” Morales told The Center Square.

Morales said inflation in the U.S. is complicating matters.

“It's a double whammy for Venezuelans here because the economy here is struggling, especially after the Iran crisis,” Morales said.

Morales said Illinois Venezuelans are working two or three jobs to support themselves and help their families in Venezuela.

Morales said there is a lot of caution among the Venezuelan people because the apparatus of Maduro’s regime is still in place.

“They are expecting changes. Of course, they don't happen overnight, but the expectation of further change is there, and it hasn't materialized on a plan that people are expecting to see, like when are we going to have elections?” Morales said. 

Maduro’s former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, is Venezuela’s acting president.

Morales said there has been bureaucratic improvement since the U.S. and Venezuela reestablished diplomatic relations.

The taxpayer impact of U.S. intervention in Venezuela remains unclear.

A U.S. Department of War official told The Center Square in April that total operational costs would be calculated after the operation concludes.

The War Department said President Donald Trump’s $1.5 trillion defense funding request for fiscal year 2027 represents a 42% increase over current funding levels.