Media framing and migrant voices: Venezuelans’ adaptation amid adversity

The ongoing displacement of Venezuelans across Latin America and the Caribbean, the Syrian refugee crisis and the war in Ukraine have all contributed to shifting narratives and new forms of media representation that continued into 2025. Although a small nation, Guyana has seen a notable increase in cross-border migration, specifically from neighbouring Venezuela. With thousands of Venezuelan nationals now seeking refuge or opportunity within its borders, the country finds itself grappling with how to frame these new arrivals. The Guyanese media, caught between regional humanitarian discourse and domestic anxieties, plays a powerful role in shaping public perceptions and national responses. Migrant voices are also critical to policy formulation but are often silent. A framing analysis of headlines elevated by Guyana’s four dailies, Guyana Chronicle, Stabroek News, Kaieteur News, and the Guyana Times, between January 2021 and December 2024 revealed the salience of Threat, Access, Inclusion, Precarity/Vulnerability and Transparency within news narratives that pertain to Venezuelan migrants. As part of the English-speaking Guyanese landscape, the language barrier poses the greatest challenge for migrants. Stories of adaptation and allyship illustrate their resilience and provide lessons for national policy to integrate migrants into Guyana’s growing economy.