Colombia grapples with wave of Venezuelan migrants

Maduro feasts on steak while citizens flee into neighbouring countries

Gideon Long, Andean Correspondent

When Nicolás Maduro stopped in Istanbul on a return flight from China, he made sure to dine at a gourmet restaurant known for its $100 rib-eye steaks. As the chef carved a tender joint, the Venezuelan president murmured: “This is a once in a lifetime moment”.

The scene, which went viral on social media this week, caused international outrage. While Mr Maduro feasted abroad with first lady Cilia Flores, Venezuelans are fleeing hunger at home in an exodus increasingly compared to the flight of Syrian refugees and African migrants through the Mediterranean.