Well, it's time for an update.
My kids are having a blast with their cousins, and uncles/aunts, and grandparents it was 4 years and 2 months without them. My biological dad needs a heart intervention, my mother is losing sight, and I am trying to spent more time with her, if we manage to leave Venezuela I want to have good memories with her, we never had a good relationship, but COVID, being away for so many years, and war all that made me think about making amends with her.
Have we left Venezuela, no! We're stuck! How? Well, read below:
I was able to get a new ID and my son did as well a couple weeks after. I started the process to get the passports appointment for the fours of us, I out all the info in, and when was the time to pay for it, the transaction didn't go through, tried a couple of times, no luck, went to my bank online to see if there was an issue, and all seemed normal.
As it was like 8 pm when I tried to do it, I said, well, maybe it's because is late, I'll try on office hours. I tried the next day, same thing, but now I am getting a message on the website that the bank didn't approved the transaction and to check with them, note that those attempts were the first for me to use the debit card in Venezuela.
I managed to call the bank and they informed me that the card is blocked and can't be used here. I asked if I could go to the border, search for an ATM and withdraw the money, as I could go there, grab the money exchange it for local currency, deposit in my venezuelan bank account and pay for the appointments, they said that I can do that, but once I am at the border I must call the bank again so they can unblock the card, now, I am 12 hours away in bus from the border, I made the arrangements for the travel, I went alone to the border as I didn't want to expose my wife and kids to the torment of more than 30 police/army checkpoints, those ended up being only 25 but still. It's crazy all the checkpoints on the road, and them (police/army) asking for money to let the buses continue the ride.
Made it to the border by 7 am, walked to the colombian side, took a taxi got a new sim card, called the bank asked them to unblock the debit card and SURPRISE, my debit card is now suspended, and the funds are frozen, why I asked the CS rep. she said that I need to go to Lima, Peru and they will take care, I explained that I left the country, my account has been in good standing, I have always used th debit card properly and never had a problem until I tried using it in Venezuela, I also told her what the other CS rep told me all I had to do to get the card unblocked was to call them as soon as I arrived to Colombia, she put me on hold, transferred my call, now the new CS rep asked me what was the problem I explained again everything I asked her if I could talk with her superior and she said she was the superior, then I asked her to unblock the debit card and my account and she said she can't do it and to resolve the issue I need to go to the bank personally, she said she will open a case and gave me the case number to follow up.
I went to one of the bank office, and talk to one of their reps face to face, took a sit, I waited for my turn and start explaining what's going on to the rep. at one point I mentioned Lima, and she stopped me and asked me if my account is from Lima to what I said yes, and she said, "I am sorry mr Pozo, we can't handle the inquiry as your bank account it is from a different country."
I left their office, and thought to myself, maybe if I call at a different hour, I will get the call picked by a different CS rep, and yes, I was right, I called by 1PM started to explaining the issue and was told: "I see there's a case # opened for this issue, as you have been told you need to come to one of the many offices in Peru to get your account unblock, there's nothing else we can do for now, have a good day and bye".
I called my wife explained what's going on and we just couldn't believe it. Next day I took a bus back to my city, and here I am, unable to get an appointment for our passports. I've been sending emails to pitch my services and get some clients, (if you guys need a website I am your man!) that we can build websites for them, and get payment through my paypal account, that way i could convert the money to local currency and get the appointments and pay for whatever other needs we have here.
The most difficult thing right now is relying on my family for our basic needs, and the constant blackouts, the electricity goes down every day 3 to 4 hours, and never on the same schedule.
Please, keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
Here's a picture of my family (except my 2 younger siblings and my step mother)
Topic: My dad went through surgery AGAIN, today! (Read 4016 times)
