In 2024, Iván Colmenares crossed the border into Venezuela on a routine trip. An encounter with the authorities changed the course of his life forever. In a foreign land, with no way for his family to reach him, Iván found himself caught up in a political game, and his survival depended on an unexpected connection. Find the English transcript of “Welcome To The Rodeo” here. Or check out the Spanish transcript here. 🚨 In an internet full of noise, Radio Ambulante Studios is still committed to deeply reported stories about real people and real lives. But we can’t do it alone. This journalism exists because people like you decide it matters. Our goal is to raise $40,000 in the coming weeks to keep telling the stories of Latin America and Latino communities. DONATE TODAY HERE and help sustain our independent journalism. Ask us anything! We\'re preparing a special episode with listener questions about anything related to Radio Ambulante. To participate, send us a voice note with your name, where you\'re listening from, and your question to the WhatsApp number at this link. The number is (+1 555 917 9841). This podcast is the property of Radio Ambulante Studios. Any copy, distribution, or adaptation is expressly prohibited without prior authorization. ► Subscribe to our newsletter. It’s our favorite place to stay in touch with our community. Get an email every Tuesday with the newest Radio Ambulante episode and one every Friday with 5 recommendations from our team. ► We have good news: our partners at Jiveworld have launched a new app to learn and practice English by listening to real stories from fantastic podcasts that have inspired us, such as This American Life and Radiolab. Plus, Radio Ambulante listeners get a 50% discount on their subscription! Just go here. ♥ If you value our work, join Deambulantes, our membership program.