National Dis(order): The Construction of Venezuelan Migration as a Public Health and Security Threat in Colombia

Abstract

Introduction: This article addresses the political and mediatized construction of the “Venezuelan migrant” as a threat to public health and security in Colombia. Development: Since 2015, massive migration from Venezuela has forced Colombian society into an unprecedented situation in its recent history. Amidst the hyper-politicization of bilateral relations between the countries, thousands of Venezuelan migrants have crossed the border, only to encounter stigmatization in a society that is in the process of developing different mechanisms to contain the supposed “danger” they represent. We use digital news reports and images published by media outlets, political speeches, and “fake news” messages disseminated through WhatsApp to show how this perception of threat consolidates. Conclusions: We suggest that the State’s push to address the problem with solidarity and aid goes hand in hand with contradictory messages produced by the media, which present the Colombian public with an undifferentiated population that threatens the body of the nation.