Venezuela: a continuing crisis grips South America
Venezuelans crossing the Tachira River which forms the border between Venezuela and Colombia in April 2019.
The ongoing emergency situation in Venezuela is one of the largest and most far-reaching of our time. The South American country has been gripped by political and economic turmoil for years. Shortages of food and medicine, a lack of access to medical care, escalating violence and soaring inflation have led to the largest outflow of people in Latin America’s recent history. More than four million Venezuelans—or nearly 10 percent of the country’s population—have fled.
Countless children, women and men have embarked on desperate journeys out of Venezuela, with some crossing rivers in waist-high water in a frantic search for safety and better lives. Several neighbouring countries in the region have made generous efforts to welcome and host Venezuelan refugees. But with an average of 5,000 Venezuelans fleeing the country every day, the capacity of neighbouring countries to adequately host people is being stretched.
What follows are portraits of incredibly resilient Venezuelans forced to leave everything behind, as well as the steps UNHCR is taking to protect them and support host communities.
« 14 | What UNHCR is doing
• Providing core relief items such as shelter materials, blankets, mattresses, hygiene kits, cooking supplies and other core relief items
• Providing cash assistance to promote self-reliance and local integration
• Seeking opportunities for children to resume their education
• Working closely with partners and host governments to improve reception conditions at borders, as well as to provide registration, information and documentation
©UNHCR/Alejandra Romo
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