In the light of the devastating June 2026 earthquakes I thought I would add a few photos of a trip I made to Venezuela in June 1988, a country and a people Rena and I loved almost the instant we arrived.
Rena and I arrived in Caracas on 8th. June 1988 on a flight from Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. We arrived at night and there was a terrific multi-coloured thunderstorm over the hills upon which Caracas is built – quite a climb by taxi from the airport at sea level. I loved the city from almost the moment I arrived – I just felt comfortable and excited to be here. So did Rena, which is perhaps surprising given the nature of our arrival.
I had progressed through immigration with no trouble. It was very different for Rena, who was taken to one side and questioned for an almost alarming amount of time. The reason? Well, it was one of geopolitics. Rena – like me – had a British passport and she was, of course, a British citizen. However, she was born in Guyana – and Venezuela has, technically, been at war with Guyana for a very long time in a dispute that continues to the present day, and which was impressed upon everyone as you enter the airport.
I am a geographer and I knew that the enormous carved-wood map of Venezuela that greets you upon entry to the airport includes about two-thirds of Guyana, which was once upon a time British Guinea.
Anyway, as I mentioned that did not stop us enjoying our time in their country, which we most certainly did. Below I have reproduced a sample of photos from June 1988 taken in Caracas. Sadly, I seem to have lost the negatives, which is very distressing, but luckily had a few prints from 1988 that are a bit worse for wear but which I scanned and was able to improve slightly.
Colin Anderson 
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