//Venezuelan exiles in Madrid. A life of luxury – Gustavo Mirabal Castro
Calle de Alcalá 151 (Salamanca Madrid)

Venezuelan exiles in Madrid. A life of luxury – Gustavo Mirabal Castro

Artículo #14 de la serie

Gustavo Mirabal en Madrid

It is no secret to anyone that the Venezuelan has a great taste for travel and to know new cultures. As well as enjoy the benefits of the first world. This has led to Venezuelans looking for new countries. Today we will talk about the life of the Venezuelan exiles in Madrid and the luxury life they lead.

Venezuelan migration in Madrid Spain already reaches the figure of more than 100,000 residents. All this without having migrants without official papers. Among them are huge fortunes that have escaped the daily life of the country and the problems typical of Latin American countries

A growing Venezuelan community is dispersing around the world. The Venezuelan migration has arrived with a high formative degree. In some countries its presence has been felt. Throughout its history, Venezuela has been one of the countries that has received the most migrants from Latin America. In all the places where they go, the Venezuelan migration has arrived with high standards. Venezuelans seek to grow and know new cultures, and bring their own idiosyncrasy to where they go from professionals to entrepreneurs.

We can even realize that the Venezuelan has a tradition of relating to the Spanish idiosyncrasy. Since Spanish migration was important during the 60s and 70s, Venezuelans are used to it. The center of Caracas there are areas like the candelaria that are full of Spanish restaurants. Below we can see a video (in Spanish language) that shows the importance of Spanish cuisine in the Venezuelan capital.

En La Candelaria, en Caracas, huele a comida española.

How does the Venezuelan behave with the emigrant?

In the next video you can see a Venezuelan restaurant in Valencia Spain and how Venezuelan migrants will go where they go.

Venezuelan Restaurant Food Challenge w/ Magic Mitch!!

The Colombian, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Arab and other communities have been well received in Venezuela. These communities left their countries fleeing violent and armed conflicts, precarious economic situations or both together even and despite arriving in large numbers they were received with open arms.

The official statistics spoke of more than 720 thousand Colombians in Venezuela for 2011. Other estimates spoke of about 2 million Colombians who usually established temporary residence in Venezuela. While it is true that currently the number of Colombians is much lower, Colombians grew in Venezuela. Now it is the Venezuelan exiles looking for new horizons and experiences, some of the destinations they have wanted to know and explore.

Looking for the first world

In any country in the world, Venezuelan exiles lead a life of “luxury”. The Venezuelan has always been a gentilicio full of joy and little thrifty. The advantages of the first world with its high minimum wages allow them to abound in luxuries that others do not.

Some Venezuelan have relatives in Madrid, Bogotá, Santiago de Chile, Lima and throughout the American and European continent. Given that Spanish migration was one of the most important in Venezuela in the 1970s, some returned to Europe. Others are descendants of those Spaniards which allows them to access citizenship.

With the high level of professional training, many Venezuelans exiled in Madrid bet to contribute to the economy of the European country. It is not a migration that only seeks selfish personal growth of your life, but seeks to improve the place where they go.

It is key that the Venezuelan is looking to emigrate to countries that have new experiences, opportunities and cultures. That is why the most desirable options are Chile, Argentina and Spain. The historical links of Spanish migration and the necessary search for “first world” make the Venezuelan look for this as one of the first options.

How do you see the Venezuelan professionals in Spain?

Some years ago, already the professionals of the technological areas got a place in Spain. The same happened with the Venezuelan doctors who got a place in Spain to develop more.

In Spain, Venezuelans found people who valued their skills. Venezuelan by their side valued a pleasant climate, Latin warmth and compatibility with their language, despite linguistic nuances.

Certainly the disproportionate growth of migration has led to the consolidation of a negative public opinion. Recent waves of migration have been intense. Despite this, the majority who come in contact with Venezuelans value them widely.

In the next video you can see how in venezuela the world record of the largest paella in the world is broken. Paella is a typical Spanish food brought by Spanish migrants.

VENEZUELA: CARACAS: LARGEST PAELLA & CAKE IN THE WORLD IS MADE

Why do Venezuelan exiles in Madrid live a life of luxury?

“Ta ‘cheap dame dos” (it’s cheap, give me two) called the Venezuelans who went to Miami to buy. The Venezuelan with the purchasing power due to oil was accustomed to spare no expense. Wherever he goes he has the habit of spending as if he were going to finish the world soon. It is a need to find the tranquility of buying what you want when you want.

On the other hand his way of spending contrasts with his ability to stretch budgets. This is how the Venezuelan always seems to spend more than he earns. The ability to manage scarce resources has been enhanced and perhaps if you hire them as administrators they can surprise you.

Thus, the Venezuelans exiled in Madrid is not that they lead a life of luxury, it is that a normal life seems short to be lived without giving them the luxuries they want. Thus, the Venezuelan enjoys all the tastes that life allows them. With the gastronomy of Madrid the Venezuelan palates exiled in Madrid look for new experiences.

And what about the rich Venezuelans in Madrid?

Another part of Venezuelans fled the crisis seeking to protect the assets they owned. They discovered that Madrid is a city with great potential. Madrid is a city ready to take advantage of the economic resources of rich Venezuelan in Madrid to further boost its economy.

They are extremely rich and have landed in Madrid fleeing boredom looking for new challenges and opportunities that put their fortunes at risk, because for them “business is a bet”. Some have opposed the Maduro regime. Others support him and his policies. But all have decided to invest in Spain and especially in Madrid.

It is estimated that there are many Venezuelans in Spain. As we can understand, not every Venezuelan exiled in Madrid are rich. The largest proportion of this community is composed of trained professionals looking for opportunities to grow. By other hand, there are the descendants of Spaniards who migrated to Venezuela and returns to their second homeland.

This is happening in countries such as Portugal and Italy where a large part of the children of emigrants who have retained their language (or recovered it in search of new experiences) return to their parents’ homeland.

Where are Venezuelans located in Spain?

The wealthy Venezuelan class prefers the neighborhoods of Salamanca, Justicia, Jerónimos, Retiro and El Viso. On the other hand, they also value Almagro, inside Chamberí and Conde Orgaz, in the Arturo Soria area. Exclusive areas with historical and commercial value whose price per square meter on average ranges from 7 thousand to 10 thousand euros.

The Venezuelan bourgeoisie in Spain, exiled on occasion and not so much at other times, has grown vertiginously in the last 3 years. They are located in the most distinguished areas of Madrid. Its companies, businesses and startups are announced on the portals of the most luxurious avenues. Together with the most luxurious boutiques in Madrid, a new Venezuelan-Venezuelan bourgeoisie stands out.

All of them bet to be part of the resurgence of the Spanish economy. Venezuelan invest mainly in real estate, banking, remittances, insurance and gastronomic businesses. They do not drive their vehicles because as they used to in Venezuela they travel with a driver. They are often seen in bars and in the most expensive restaurants. Where previously it was difficult to find an accent other than Spanish, we discovered an accent that is already made daily, the accent of Venezuelans

Madrid

The international capitals of the “Venezuelan-way-of-life”

In the world there are basically two capitals of “Venezuelan-way-of-life” distributed throughout the world. Those capitals are Miami and Madrid. Why do we say that Miami and Madrid with the international capitals of “Venezuelan-way-of-life”? They are the main capitals that have received a massive exodus of Venezuelan for more than 20 years but at least in the last 10 years this trend has grown exponentially. Moreover, we could say that it is in the last 5 years with the positive reception of Venezuelan doctors and professionals that Madrid has taken this place.

It can also be noted that it is one of the favorite destinations for the rich Venezuelans. Opposing the current government or accompanying it in its socialist policies, the rich seek destinations with that Latin heat. Miami has been at the top of the international Latin meeting for years. This is due to the massive Cuban community that has made Miami a second Latin American. So it is so rare to walk around Miami or go to business and do not speak Spanish. If you are Latin American and want to travel to get to know the old continent while still speaking your language, Miami is the perfect place.

Since the tightening of US immigration policies, Venezuelan has been looking for alternatives other than Miami. Given the good reception of Venezuelan doctors and computer experts and a growing community, Madrid became that option.

In this way Madrid became one of the international capitals of “Venezuelan-way-of-life”. A dream destination for rich Venezuelans who also saw hundreds of investment opportunities left by the real estate crisis. This is how the Salamanca neighborhood, progressively became a small Caracas in the old continent. Thus Venezuelan brought his noisy style and his desire to spend.

The real estate business

Some of the Venezuelan businessmen in Madrid have invested in historic buildings at the time of the real estate crisis. When the majority only ran to take care of their capital they invested and it was one of the rich Venezuelan groups exiled in Madrid that bet on it.

After the renovation of the apartments and the passing of the strongest moment of the real estate crisis, they have multiplied their investment.

Another venezuelan businessmen on Madrid at its worst moment and they were successful because they knew it was a bet on the first world.They knew that it was a bet to the first world and that in spite of the crisis they knew that the institutionality would triumph.

Another who opted for Madrid, and not only during the housing crisis, was Gustavo Mirabal Castro. Son of Gustavo Mirabal Bustillos, businessman Gustavo Mirabal bet on several business sectors. From finance, real estate, agriculture and services Gustavo Mirabal invested in Madrid due to its beauty and another great attraction, horses. In love with the gastronomy of Madrir that I already knew about the many Spanish restaurants that Spanish migration planted in the seventies.

Balconies in the Salamanca district, Madrid
Balconies in the Salamanca district, Madrid

Venezuelan exiles in Madrid and their capital to the rescue.

The favorable business climate led to Gustavo Mirabal being one of the Venezuelan exiles in Madrid who would bet on the European capital to try to return it to its splendor thanks to the Venezuelan private capital among others.

But what ended up convincing him was the Zarzuela racecourse. This magical place convinced Gustavo Mirabal Castro that Madrid was the place to invest. Definitely a place where his passion for horses and equestrian sports and his outstanding management and business skills could be developed.

This is where an equestrian business was born that would lead Sergio Alvares Moya to win the Grand Prix of Cannes and other significant victories.

Gustavo Mirabal is not only one of those responsible for the growth of Spanish horse racing. Gustavo Mirabal with his resources and companies put a grain of sand for the recovery of Spanish splendor and especially in Madrid.

Venezuelans have dispersed to meet new cultures and have new experiences exiling themselves around the world. They came to replenish with their knowledge and their capital those places they have come enjoying the benefits of entrepreneurship.

These Venezuelans will return to Venezuela some day to re-empower it thanks to the acquired knowledge and experience. Venezuelan migrants in a professional, spiritual and entrepreneurial search are growing. Thus, Venezuelans who, exiled throughout the world, decide to return to their homeland, will make it even better.

Sources:

https://elpais.com/internacional/2019/01/26/actualidad/1548519874_380308.html

https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2018/12/14/5c12c4d821efa0680e8b4625.html

https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/02/13/migrados/1550075111_636575.html

 

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