From Venezuela to Bolivia: A Migrant’s Journey to Cheesemaking Success

Santa Cruz, Bolivia – At Guillermo’s artisanal cheese factory in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, the air is filled with the enticing aroma of freshly made queso parrillero, a traditional Venezuelan cheese. Each month, his operation transforms fresh milk into over 1,500 units of artisanal cheese, catering to a growing clientele across the country. “We are prepared to work, integrate, and improve the local economy,” Guillermo states, emphasizing the positive contributions migrants can make to their new communities.

Guillermo’s life took a remarkable turn when he left Caracas in 2017 amid security concerns, arriving in Bolivia with just two suitcases. At 50 years old, he found a fresh start in Santa Cruz, a vibrant industrial city. “I had to reinvent myself,” he recalls. Initially, working long hours in a technology company proved challenging, but his love for Bolivia blossomed over time. “It is now my second home.”

With a background as an electronic engineer, Guillermo never imagined living outside Venezuela. After four years in the technology sector in Bolivia, he pivoted in 2021 to launch Delicatessen El Avila, his homeware business that eventually led him to cheesemaking during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic. “I noticed a lack of Venezuelan cheeses here and began experimenting with recipes,” he explains. 

Guillermo’s business skills coupled with self-taught cheesemaking techniques, enabled him to launch his new venture – one that is not just about trade but also about family and cultural heritage, and which now employs four fellow migrants. His late mother hailed from Bolivia, and through his cheesemaking efforts, he continues their legacy while preserving Venezuela’s culinary tradition.

A vision for the future

 Looking ahead, Guillermo envisions expanding his operations beyond Bolivia, creating more job opportunities for both migrants and locals, as he believes migrants bring valuable skills and strengths to their new communities and should be seen as assets rather than burdens.

“My goal now is to grow the company and employ more people. I want to show that we have talent and expertise and should not be limited to low-paying jobs.” At the moment, his business supplies several restaurants and 35 supermarkets throughout Bolivia, and also offers online delivery.

Guillermo's business not only creates opportunities for him, but also for other members of his community, such as Carlos, one of his Venezuelan employees: “As a migrant, arriving in a new city can be challenging, this factory has become my home.”

Training and transformation

At FEXPOCRUZ – the largest International Commercial Fair in South America – Guillermo showcases his handmade cheeses to potential clients from around the world. His queso parrillero – a white, salty cheese similar to the Venezuelan queso paisa – comes in seven flavors and is poised for expansion into varieties like ricotta and mozzarella. “This is a tremendous opportunity for us, it opens doors to new markets in other countries,” he says passionately.

Supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Guillermo and 22 other migrant entrepreneurs shared a stand at this trade show that attracted over half a million visitors.

“IOM is proud to support migrant entrepreneurs like Guillermo,” says Pamela Fernandez, IOM Head of Office in Bolivia. “We sponsor for the fair and provide training on basic business skills, guidance on marketing, financial management and capital seeds.”

Connecting with new clients, Guillermo’s production has nearly doubled. “Migrants are not a threat. We all have dreams and abilities and should be seen as valuable assets for the communities hosting us,” he emphasizes. In Bolivia, Guillermo has found not just a new life but also a platform for transforming challenges into opportunities for success – both for himself and his fellow migrants.

This story was written by Gema Cortes, IOM Media and Communications Unit, Office of the Special Envoy for the Regional Response to the Venezuela Situation.