Caminantes in Ecuador: solidarity and its influence on migrant journeys

The Venezuelan socio-economic crisis has led to an intensified migration of its citizens. The latter has contributed to the use of non-traditional forms of migration, such as walking. Migrants who start their journey walking are called caminantes, and since their journeys are long and complex, several interactions occur in between, such as solidarity initiatives. By using qualitative methods, this study seeks to understand the different interactions that take place in the journey and how the journey develops for caminantes. Additionally, as solidarity is one of the interactions that occur during a migratory process, this research aims to understand how those initiatives influence the journey of caminantes. To this end, a series of interviews were conducted with caminantes and solidarity actors from five cities in Ecuador.