Every weekend hundreds of Venezuelans cross the border to do their weekly shop in the Colombian border city of Cúcuta. They come looking for bargains and more choice. But nowadays many are choosing to stay.

Last year, 64 new businesses were started by Venezuelan immigrants in Cúcuta, an increase of 85 per cent over the past two years, according to the city's chamber of commerce.

In addition to seeking better economic opportunities, increasing numbers of Venezuelans say they are are driven by a growing disappointment with President Hugo Chávez's regime.

Colombia's turbulent history means it has traditionally been a source of emigrants, and Venezuela itself is estimated to have well over a million Colombian immigrants. But the direction of that tide may now be turning.

According to the Colombian intelligence agency DAS, which registers migration data, the number of Venezuelans entering Co-lombia increased from 65,781 in 2002 to 198,799 last year. The actual figure is thought to be far higher because Venezuelans do not have to register at a consulate in Colombia, and many hold dual citizenship that allows them to enter Colombia using a local identity card.

"We're seeing a growing number of Venezuelans coming to Cúcuta to start up small and medium-sized business, like fast-food outlets, bakeries and textile shops. They're attracted to Colombia's legal and economic stability, and many say it's easier to open a business and make money here than in Venezuela," says Pedro Sayago of the Cúcuta chamber of commerce.

Neptalí Barrios, an electrical engineer, left Venezuela at the beginning of Mr Chávez's tenure in 2001 and relocated to Bogotá, where he works for a multinational.

"I was forced to leave Venezuela because of the devaluation of the local currency, inflation and the high cost of living," he says. "Increasing political and economic instability meant it was difficult to plan for the future and because I didn't have pro-Chávez friends in high places, I couldn't develop my career."

While the government fails to tackle rising crime and "out-of-control" corruption, Mr Barrios says he has no plans to return.

The exodus of middle and upper-class Venezuelans is a trend not just apparent in Colombia but across the world. Canada, Australia, Spain, Panama and the US are popular destinations.

An estimated 300,000 Venezuelans live in the US, while 2,000 of the 15,000-strong Venezuelan Jewish community have emigrated to Israel in recent years.

Esther Bermudez, director of the mequieroir.com website, which gives advice to Venezuelans about moving abroad, has seen a 300 per cent rise in the number of site visitors in the past two years. She says this reflects the growing unease that Venezuelans feel about the future in their country.

"There's no doubt that Venezuelan migration is highly politically motivated," Ms Bermudez says. "The common worries are personal security, changes in education and laws about private property, nationalisation of services and the lack of staple foods."

Like many other young professionals, Mr Barrios felt alienated by what he describes as growing class hatred. "People wearing a tie in Venezuela are branded part of the elite oligarchy, and the growing polarisation of society makes one feel uncomfortable in your own country," he says.

Many multinational companies with branches in Venezuela have moved their operations to Colombia, Ms Bermudez says.

"Traditionally Venezuela was not a migratory country . . Now all Venezuelans have a friend or family living abroad."