MADRID—As dusk fell on a recent summer evening, clusters of Venezuelans flocked to Madrid’s historic Mercado de Maravillas, where, for a few fleeting moments, they were transported back home.

They shopped for imported Venezuelan products and sampled typical dishes like the country’s arepas corn cakes at food stalls. Some knocked back Venezuelan beers while chatting about news from their country. Here and there, the yellow, blue and red of the Venezuelan flag adorned the walls.

“Venezuelans come even from far away because they feel at home here,” said Kelthvyn Martínez, 29 years old, while preparing food for sale.

More than 320,000 Venezuelans now live in Spain, nearly double the 2015 number, part of a growing exodus as the country slides further into poverty and authoritarian rule under President Nicolás Maduro.

More than 3.6 million people have left Venezuela since 2015, reducing its population to about 28 million. The poorest cross the border to Colombia, where their arrival is straining the economy. The wealthier make their way to the U.S., especially Miami. Others, if they have the means, fly to Spain, where they rely on cultural and linguistic ties to get a foothold in Europe.