Two million Italian descendants live in Venezuela. Alicia Santacroce is one of them. Often, she puts her work aside to help in some communities in Caracas. Despite the chance to live abroad, she has never thought about migrating

By Daniel Benitez

Alicia Santacroce is a 33-years old Venezuelan woman and an Italian descendant. She parks her white Toyota Corolla in front of the Don Bosco pre-school located in Chapellin, a barrio in Caracas.

It is Wednesday morning, the day Alessia gets scheduled to share with the children of the school. The day before, she supported a vaccination day; on weekends, she gets around the city to deliver food to people who have nothing to eat.

She turns off the car and quickly gets out of it. Teachers, cooks, and the headmaster are waiting for her at the main door of the school. They greet her like someone who is appreciated. 

Can you help me to bring juice and cupcakes from the car?– Alesia says to one of the teachers.

In the pre-school, there is a dining room that works with donations to feed the children. Alesia is one of the donors and also one of those persons that enjoy helping people. "I feel that is something that I can do, and I enjoy doing it. Some people do social work to stands out or to get attention. For me, it's all about helping people. Many times require some sacrifice because I have to put aside my work."

Before children finish their school day, Alesia takes the tray with the colorful cupcakes and goes to the dining room to distribute them amount  the 30 kids that assisted that day. "When you go to your bed and make a balance of your life, you say: I am happy here because I was able to do a good thing. That sacrifice fee gets paid with inexplicable satisfaction."

Alesia also has her own project. In March 2017, neighbors from El Recreo, led by Alesia and her family, decided to prepare a big pot of lentils to feed 40 people who have nothing to eat. That day started The Miracle Pot project that currently serves food to 800 people every weekend in Caracas.

Although she is Italian and could live in Italy or some European country, Alesia has no migrating plans. "I have never considered the possibility of leaving Venezuela, perhaps I have questioned it sometimes, but I have never seen myself with two suitcases at the airport. It is something that I would never do," says Alesia haltingly.

Education comes first

Alesia Santacroce is a lawyer with a specialization in Constitutional Procedural Law from Monteavila University. She also has a specialty in Management of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies, a Master in Marketing, and a diploma in Women as Agents of Change.

As well as her studies, her work career is just as broad. She works as production manager in Coverplus, the insurance family company; she is also the legal consultant in Cayenne 2000, plus the General Manager in the art gallery ArteMercadoOnline.com.

Alesia also dedicates part of her life to teaching in the Law and Administration Schools in her Alma Mater. She teaches English, writing legal texts, study techniques, and plagiarism.

"It is not a secret that teaching is underpaid, but I think that the most important is not how much you receive as payment to do something, but the impact of what you do. For me, the influence that I have on my students is priceless."

Searching of the promised land

Although there are no updated projections on the population of Italian descent in Venezuela, in 2010, the Italian ambassador Luigi Maccotta estimated that 5% of the Venezuelan population –over two million inhabitants back then– were descendants of Italian citizens. 

The Italian Consulate in Venezuela explained that Italians arrived in this country, fleeing from the Second World War and the destruction of the European country.

The father and paternal grandparents of Alesia are an example of that. His father came to Venezuela in 1957. He arrived with a brother and, later, their grandparents traveled.

The paternal grandparents chose Venezuela to work and get ahead. They did it. "They came to look for the promised land, to do business, to invest. Thanks to that, they managed to create other workspaces." Alesia says.

However, the story of his maternal grandparents, who are Spanish, is different. They arrived separately and with very little money. None of them were professional. "My grandfather was a mechanic and my grandmother a seamstress and also cleaned houses. It was difficult for them."

For the Santacroce López family living in Venezuela, the country means growth, prosperity, and home. Alesia says that they continue in Venezuela because it is the country that allowed them to have a business and to grow.

Questioning does not mean
to migrate

Alesia has been in Italy only twice. The first time she was 19-years-old and traveled with his father to visit their relatives in Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata, a little town in Abruzzo, one of the 20 regions in Italy. For years later, Alesia visited Italy on a quick trip with her friends. That time she visited 12 countries from Europe. 

"Despite being there, at that time, it did not cross my mind to stay or migrate. I was in Venezuela studying and had my north in my studies. I had graduated from law school. I did a specialization to take the reins of the family business. At that time, it was in my head to continue training to work in my family's businesses."

Alesia has questioning herself about staying in the country. But to talk about that possibility, her voice breaks. Half of her family are in other countries: her older sister is in Panama, and the younger one is in Chile. Both are raising their families abroad.

"Sometimes, I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. If staying in Venezuela is truly valuable and going to help me to go ahead. If I will be able to follow the steps of my father that had a prosperous business, who grew up in a country with opportunities."

She is grateful for having the possibility to travel around Europe and The United States and be sure that Venezuela is where she wants to be. 

"Venezuela is my place. I find here spectacular things, amazing things that make me happy every day. Simple and little things that I feel that I will not find in another place. To see the macaws, the mountain from my house, to know that I have the chance to do things in my country, all that makes me happy and makes me want to stay here. Venezuela is my home."

Alesia Santacroce believes that in Venezuela is still possible to do good actions to transforms the country. She talks about her dreams and her voice breaks. She wants a happy family, reunited in a country with opportunities. 

"I dream of a Venezuela in which we can share, live, and above all, that people want to visit that is not scary. I dream of that country, and I know that is possible because there are always people willing to contribute, produce and work to be a better country."