Caracas - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
As Venezuela becomes more isolated, there are fewer and fewer tourists. So, local Venezuelans are not used to seeing foreigners around. They are not known for being patient or understanding to foreigners who don't have perfect Spanish or a Venezuelan accent. So, I think any expats here, even Latin Americans, can have challenges settling in. - May 2015
To some extent, but those are not Caracas's largest problems. - Apr 2015
Venezuelans in ordinary speech use a number of words and phrases that are extreme vulgarities in the rest of the Spanish speaking world. It is a rough machista culture that does not value education and that has closed itself off largely to information from the outside. Official rhetoric is equated with truth, as the local media is heavily censored to the point of ignorring major news stories because they are not flattering to the government. Prejudice, yeah. Bigotry and racism, yup. These are people who say "Hi, buddy" where the word for "buddy" is the most vulgar name for a certain part of the female anatomy. - Nov 2014
I have not observed any other than the normal Latin macho male attitude toward women in some cases. - Sep 2013
You'll probably come across the usual Latin machismo attitude. The bigger problem now is Chavistas vs non-Chavistas---or rich vs. poor. - Aug 2012
We haven't experienced any as a diverse family. - Mar 2012
I have not heard of any specific problems. - Jan 2011
Not that I have seen, although classism is rampant. - Oct 2010
There are sections of the society that are anti-semitic, but there's also a sizable Jewish population. Other than that the country is typical Latin America, Catholic, but for the most part secular. - Sep 2010
No serious racial or gender problems that we're aware of. But, this society has become very anti-semitic. The Jewish population has been severely diminished during the last 10 years. It's also not a good place to be from the United States, Israel, many European countries and even Canada of all places. If your country has ever criticized anything about Venezuela, you're marked. - Mar 2010
Anti-Semitism and the more European-looking Venezuelan's control most everything (except the government). - Mar 2010
Definitely. Recently the Jews have been repeatedly attacked to include the oldest synagogue in Caracas. It was physically attacked, overrun, and desecrated by pro-government groups. There is also a growing dislike for Americans. - Feb 2009
Venezuelans share the same prejudices as most Latins against black-skinned people. - Nov 2008
