Escaping a Venezuelan Prison | Locked Up Abroad

2m read

·Nov 11, 2024

Enjoy your first day release.

As I walked through the doors, I couldn't believe it. It wasn't just some crazy dream. I might actually get away with this. My stomach's churning over, tying itself up in knots.

I got on the bus. I'm praying that I'm never going to see this place ever again. The bus starts moving. It felt amazing. It felt great. I'm feeling more and more free and less and less like a prisoner.

But the closer we get to the border, I'm getting so nervous. The last bit of the journey is the most dangerous. The bus drives up to the checkpoint. There's guardia everywhere. Not every car gets stopped, so when we got pulled over, my heart literally dropped into my stomach.

I stand out in Venezuela with blue eyes. I can't have the guardia seeing my eyes. If it's the guardia that's worked in the prisons, he's going to recognize me. [bleep] myself.

So I pretend to be asleep. I'm praying that they don't ask to see my passport.

NARRATOR: They scan it. It's going to pop up that I'm a prisoner. When the guard asked the guy next to me, I'm thinking this is it. I'm [bleep]

NARRATOR: And then he asks me for my passport. Before I've had time to think, the bus driver says there's no point in talking to the gringa. She can't speak a word of Spanish.

OK.

NARRATOR: And the guardia doesn't question it. I literally cannot believe what has just happened. I feel like I've got guardian angels around me. I've just escaped prison. I deserved my sentence. But I'm getting closer to Nikita. It was the best feeling in the world.

I can't believe that was my daughter in front of my eyes. She's five years older. And she looks so different. I said, you know what my name is? She said, no. And I said, my name is Natalie. And she said, are you my mummy? I said, yes, I am your mummy. And I always will be.

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