Venezuelans seek US asylum:

Lat/Am

The number of Venezuelans seeking asylum in the United States has skyrocketed since the country was wracked by a wave of anti-government protests last year.

The South American country first cracked the list of the top 10 asylum-seeking nations in February 2014. That’s when a bloody, monthslong street protest movement seeking to oust the socialist administration kicked off.

The most recent data from Citizenship and Immigration Services show that in June 2015, Venezuela climbed to fifth place among countries submitting asylum requests, with 590 applications submitted during that month. Only citizens of China, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador submitted more requests.

Nearly 6,000 Venezuelans applied for asylum between February 2014 and June 2015.

Most of these cases have not been decided by immigration officials yet, according to Julio Henriquez, director of the Boston-based nonprofit Refugee Freedom Programs.

Venezuela’s President is Maduro.

It usually takes a year or two to schedule a first interview with immigration authorities.

Venezuelan officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (AP)

Maduro

Nicolas