Micro-informal entrepreneurship directed by Venezuelan migrants settled on Ecuador

Abstract

The migration of Venezuelans to Ecuador because of the economic, hyperinflationary and social political instability in which they subsist, has forced us to look for different survival alternatives. Following the presidential succession by death of the former president Hugo Chavez by Nicolas Maduro, current president, Venezuela has entered processes of social and economic degradation at all levels, this has caused the departure of more than three million inhabitants to different nearby countries

In Ecuador, the migrant seeks daily livelihoods, alternatives that allow him to subsist, produce something for entire families, this has ended in informal micro-enterprises that take the main streets of big  cities. The motivation of this research was to establish informal micro-enterprises, their dynamics, types, distribution of their utilities and specific characteristics. It was executed in the cities of Portoviejo, El Carmen, Manta, Santo Domingo, given that these cities show the presence of Venezuelan citizens and enterprises. Interviews were conducted with 164 micro-entrepreneurs. For the analysis of the data descriptive statistics were used, through which frequency distribution tables were prepared for the statistical graphs, which facilitated the interpretation of data.

It was concluded that the ventures existed sporadically, in the most circulated streets, those that have become consumer markets, the side effects such as insecurity, unhealthiness, poor traffic, ornate disorder among others, are part of urban daily life. It was concluded that none of these have legal permits or express authorizations from the authorities. The daily support resulting from the ventures allows them to cover the minimum needs but does not solve the social and collateral problem. It is necessary the intervention of the state and pro-migrant organizations which propose alternatives for human development