Abstract
Crisis and migration are associated because both make part of the course of history, their bond is not an exception. Migration responds to a human drive as strong as the need to gather in groups. Crises, like catastrophes, are perennial in the historical narratives, philosophy, theater, art, and mythologies of every culture.
Crises are also part of a permanent historical process of social construction, which at critical junctures are socially perceived and historiographically analyzed. Migration is conceived as the daily reproduction of a temporary or permanent existence in another space beyond political borders.
The objective of this text is to analyze the strategies involved in the reproduction of migrants’ existence and their collectives in Rosario, as part of people’s mobility projects and as a particular response to critical situations; this assessment is undertaken to interrogate the concepts of crisis and migration. Personal stories and testimonies form migrant collectives from Haiti, Venezuela, and Colombia make up the bulk of the data, in which actions and constructs were explored by intersecting both the personal and social spheres; theoretical approaches included migrants’ political subjectivities, the political realm of migration, and the perspective of life course. The methodological toolbox consisted of interviews, participatory research, and quantitative and documentary surveys.
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Notes
- 1.
To name few examples: the Argentine exile of the 1970s, international activism during trials of the Juntas, and the Memory, Truth, and Justice process influenced international opinion and lead to changes of the Human Rights system (Keck & Sikkink, 1998; Sikkink, 2008). Examples of the international influence of diasporas in the medium or long terms are the response to the Armenian massacres, the Jewish community stance on the holocaust, the vote of Spaniards abroad, among many others.
- 2.
Although this debate is not encouraged here, during the cholera epidemic of the 1990s in Argentina there were expressions of xenophobia against border migrants. Also, at the beginning of the pandemic, Chinese citizens were stigmatized by the media as carriers of the COVID virus.
- 3.
We attended parties, meetings, demonstrations, public offices, among others, where information on the chosen groups could be collected.
- 4.
The fieldwork was carried out between 2019 and 2021, gathering more than 20 interviews observing gender parity. The people who consented to participate in the study are referred to using their real names, aliases, or nicknames regarding their preference; otherwise, a made-up name was chosen for them. The bibliographic search was focused on migration studies.
- 5.
“El Gran Rosario es el nodo portuario agroexportador más importante del mundo”. Retrieved in November 2020 at: <https://www.bcr.com.ar/es/mercados/investigacion-y-desarrollo/informativo-semanal/noticias-informativo-semanal/el-gran-0#:~:text=importante%20del%20mundo.-,El%20Gran%20Rosario%20es%20el%20nodo%20portuario%20agroexportador%20 m%C3%A1s%20importante,m%C3%A1s%20importante%20a%20nivel%20mundial>.
- 6.
CENSUS 2010, Migrations according to the National Population Census 2010. Province of Santa Fe. Retrieved in November 2020, at: <https://www.santafe.gov.ar/index.php/web/Estructura-de-Gobierno/Ministerios/Economia/Secretaria-de-Planificacion-y-Politica-Economica/Direccion-Provincial-del-Instituto-Provincial-de-Estadistica-y-Censos-de-la-Provincia-de-Santa-Fe/ESTADISTICAS/Censos/Poblacion/Censo-Nacional-de-Poblacion-y-Vivienda-2010/Estadisticas-por-Dpto.-y-Pcia/Poblacion/Migraciones-segun-Censo-Nacional-de-Poblacion-2010.-Provincia-de-Santa-Fe>.
- 7.
INDEC. National Population, Household and Housing Census 2010. Accessed in March 2021 at: https://www.indec.gob.ar/indec/web/Nivel4-CensoProvincia-999-999-82-084-2010. Table P5-D. Santa Fe Province, Rosario department. Total population by country of birth, gender, and age group. 2010.
- 8.
Among them, 16,105 came from Latin American countries. 5979 were Paraguayans, 3595 Peruvians, 1109 Bolivians, and 770 Brazilians.
- 9.
Accessed in December 2020, at: https://www.argentina.gob.ar/interior/migraciones
- 10.
Among the temporary residences, the main group are Paraguayans, with 3610 visas granted, followed by Peruvians 1411, Colombians 1132, Bolivians 1097, Haitians 320, and Venezuelans 152. There were slight differences in terms of nationality among those obtaining permanent residence: Paraguayans, 3775, Brazilians 1352, Peruvians 1222, Bolivians 977, Colombians 518, Venezuelans 83, and Haitians 66.
- 11.
Santa Fe ranked fourth in the country in 2016, with more than 4000 residence authorizations granted that year, and more than 4600 in 2017. That means that in those 2 years, an average of 400 to 500 foreigners per month settled in this province. It only was surpassed by the province of Buenos Aires, the city of Buenos Aires, and Córdoba in the number of granted residence authorizations.
- 12.
Source: General Directorate of Laboral Macroeconomics and Statistical Studies (DGEMyEL, in Spanish)—Ministry of Production and Work (MPyT, in Spanish), based on data from the Permanent Household Survey (EPH, in Spanish) and the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC, in Spanish). “Hermanos Latinoamericanos: Su inserción laboral en los aglomerados con mayor presencia migratoria”. Accessed in November 2020, at: http://www.trabajo.gob.ar/downloads/estadisticas/insercion_laboral_trabajadores_migrantes.pDf
- 13.
Countries affiliated to MERCOSUR. Accessed in August 2021, at: https://www.mercosur.int/quienes-somos/paises-del-mercosur
- 14.
‘Quintas’ is the name given in Argentina to plots of land that are not very extensive, close to large cities and dedicated to the production of fruits, vegetables, poultry, etc., for family consumption or sale. They use migrant labor from different historical migration currents and origins.
- 15.
Accessed in November 2020, at: https://www.unosantafe.com.ar/santa-fe/crece-la-inmigracion-la-provincia-y-aumentan-los-controles-n2003744.html
- 16.
Accessed in October 2020, at: https://www.mercosur.int/documento/acuerdo-residencia-nacionales-estados-partes-mercosur-bolivia-chile/
- 17.
In general, the associations of the collectivities included in this study do not have updated or complete records of the number of migrants by nationality, as not all migrants are affiliated; nevertheless, these associations can provide rough estimates of their communities.
- 18.
Cases of administrative obstruction and mistreatment in the offices of documentation and residency have been denounced, mostly attributed to ignorance, racism, fear, and rejection, as recorded during interviews and reported on the media. Accessed in December 2020 at: https://www.lacapital.com.ar/la-ciudad/una-clienta-irascible-ataco-e-insulto-una-joven-haitiana-un-quiosco-centrico-n2647134.html; https://www.rosario3.com/informaciongeneral/Discriminacion-en-Rosario-integrantes-de-la-Asociacion-Civil-Haitiana-realizaron-una-protesta-antirracista-20210330-0075.html; https://www.rosario3.com/informaciongeneral/Estudiantes-haitianos-y-brasilenos-amenazados-Negros-no-deberian-estar-vivos-20210114-0044.html
- 19.
A 65% of the total migrants have experienced discrimination, a 71% of the migrant women interviewed, and a 59% of the interviewed men.
- 20.
This institution brings together the DNM, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Human Rights Secretariat of the National Government, it was created in 2019.
- 21.
National Celebration of Collectivities. Accessed in November 2020 at: https://www.rosario.gob.ar/web/ciudad/cultura/festivales/colectividades
- 22.
Held for the first time in 2020 in virtual format with dance and song performances and gastronomy demonstrations, it kept its headquarters open, and communities made performances and offered food for delivery and take away.
- 23.
Accessed in December 2020, at: https://www.rosario.gob.ar/web/sites/default/files/guia_migrantes.pdf
- 24.
They have the capacity to promote innovations, a drug laboratory, and interact with other public and private areas.
- 25.
The film, music, theater, and dance schools at the provincial and municipal levels in the city are open for migrant participation, documented with references and registries. For instance, the Municipal School of Urban and Circus Arts constitutes a training space permanently receiving migrants, it is the only free performing arts institution in the region. Many of its graduates establish themselves in Rosario and raise their families there, as it is the case for several Colombians. Rosario’s Culture of the Province of Santa Fe funds migrant art projects. The Youth area of the Municipality of Rosario has also welcomed migrants in its workshops and other activities since its early years (interviews with a professor from the Municipal School of Urban Arts (EMAU, in Spanish), members of the Colombia Collective in Rosario, and the Director of the Center for Contemporary Expressions during 2020 and 2021).
- 26.
They have problems such as the rejection of migrant subsidies for those lacking a National Identity Document (DIN) or who cannot prove more than 2 years of residence. Unfortunately, persons lacking the DNI are not given vaccinations. The later was recently been solved thanks to an agreement signed between the DNM and the collectives.
- 27.
Migration Law No. 25.871/04, known as the Migration and Human Rights Law because it established the human right to migrate.
- 28.
The term black négre/neg (French/Creole) went through a process of reappropriation by the Haitians, who use it to define their identity. The derogatory intention of the term ‘negro’ is not part of the Haitian people history. Haiti is the only place in the world where the words nég/négre mean male or man, and négés/négresse mean girl or woman. Haitians define themselves as ‘negro’. (Interview to Atiben (Haitian student), personal communication, November 1, 2020).
- 29.
During the first ASPO (lockdown protocol), several members of the migrant collectivity returned to Haiti following interruption in their studies, due to health issues or family reunification, they also closed their businesses, or stopped working because the mandatory lockdown left them without means of subsistence. Relatives in Haiti stopped receiving remittances because of the Haitian lockdowns. Two Haitian delivery workers died in traffic accidents during the pandemic and another one took his life, likely the result of labor insecurity among community members.
- 30.
In 1995, a new government resolution was issued excluding Haiti and other American countries of the tourist visa requirement (Resolution 189/95). In 2018, the resolution was turned down (Resolution 477/2018). Accessed on March 2021 at: http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/310000-314999/313642/norma.htm
- 31.
Accessed on: October 2020, at: https://www.boletinoficial.gob.ar/detalleAviso/primera/158336/20170130. Repealed in 2021 by President Alberto Fernandez’ Government.
- 32.
There are 294 Haitian undergraduate and graduate students at the UNR; they are the fourth largest foreign student group after Brazilians, Peruvians, and Colombians. Consulted in December 2020, at: https://unr.edu.ar/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BoletinEstadistico71.pdfote
- 33.
From the French créole; or from the Haitian kreyól.
- 34.
The Gala is a massive night event that brings together the entire Haitian community; it has been held for two consecutive years at the end of the year, except in 2020, when it was suspended due to the pandemic.
- 35.
Gastronomic entrepreneur, he came to study, he has four brothers in Rosario with whom he has shared business.
- 36.
A 34-year-old Haitian student of the French translation program who arrived as a tourist in 2011. He is a member of the Haitian Civil Association, the Migration Studies Group (UNR), and the Jean Mapou Foundation.
- 37.
More than 25 health professionals of Haitian origin have been involved in essential service activities since the beginning of the pandemic, working long hours without rest days both in Rosario and in nearby towns. The current president of the Association is a nurse, working in healthcare doing uninterrupted day-night shifts. He came to Rosario in December 2007 to study, and left behind his mother and his older brother in Haiti.
- 38.
DNM, 2019, Accessed in October 2020, at: http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/pdf/estadisticas/radicaciones_resueltas_2018.pdf
- 39.
30-year-old engineer. He visited Argentina in 2009 for the first time and in 2016 emigrated definitively with his family to work for a company. Following difficulties to get a permanent job, he opened a business in 2019, and in 2020, he started a Venezuelan-themed barbershop (closed during the ASPO). He has a background of activism and social action in Venezuela. Since 2016, he and his family have not gone back to Venezuela.
- 40.
Accessed in November 2020 at: https://unr.edu.ar/wpcontent/uploads/2021/12/BoletinEstadistico71.pdfote
- 41.
“Doing changas” in colloquial language means having a sporadic, informal job, that is not in a dependent relationship under the employer. It is also a subsistence job, without unionizing rights or benefits.
- 42.
Gender violence among Argentine-Venezuelan couples emerged as a problem that has been referred to competent institutions.
- 43.
Accessed on December 2020: https://www.facebook.com/ColectivoColombianEnRosario/
- 44.
Accessed on the Instagram page, colectivocolombiarosario, of the Colombian Collective in Rosario.
- 45.
Arepas is a typical food from Colombia and other South American countries. It is a flat bread made of corn that usually is served with a variety of fillings and toppings. (Translator’s Note).
- 46.
Master in Cultural Studies at UNR. Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, UNR, accessed on December 2020, at: https://estudiosculturales.unr.edu.ar/
- 47.
Accessed in December 2020, at: https://issuu.com/juliethcalderon0/docs/comunicado_ccr_16_sept.docx
- 48.
Accessed in December 2020, at: https://www.conclusion.com.ar/etiqueta/colectivo-colombia-en-rosario/
- 49.
Accessed in December 1, 2020, at: https://viapais.com.ar/rosario/1453556-piden-ayuda-para-repatriar-a-un-estudiante-colombiano-fallecido-en-rosario/
- 50.
Teachers’ union of the Province of Santa Fe, which has a left-wing leadership, collaborating on Argentine and Colombian political issues. Accessed in November 2020, at: http://www.amsaferosario.org.ar/
- 51.
Cooperativa de Trabajo Cultural, a cultural center supported by the Ciudad Futura Party, among other partners. Accessed in December 2020, at: https://www.district7.com.ar/#/
- 52.
Recently created environmentalist political and social party in Rosario, with representatives in the Deliberative Council. Accessed in December 2020, at: https://www.facebook.com/CiudadFuturaOK/
- 53.
Rosario’s branch of the Permanent Assembly of Human Rights, at: http://apdhrosario.com/
- 54.
Accessed in November 2020 at: http://argentina.iom.int/co/sites/default/files/publicaciones/OIM-La-migracion-colombiana-en-argentina-PDF-WEB.pdf
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Acknowledgments
Partial results of this work were shared with UNHCR. I am grateful to Marcela Cerrutti for coordinating our research work with the Centro de Estudios de Población (CENEP). I present a fundamental basis of the theoretical-methodological framework of the doctoral dissertation in International Relations titled “Influence of exiles and institutions in the political process that links migration and human rights in the recent history of Argentina (1983–2015).” I am grateful to migrant associations, government institutions, civil society, and the migrants who gave their testimony for this work.
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García, M. (2022). Parting and Keep on Existing: Crisis and Reproduction of the Existence of Migrants and Their Collectives in the City of Rosario. In: Coraza de los Santos, E., Arriola Vega, L.A. (eds) Crises and Migration. Latin American Societies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07059-4_6
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