Impact of Venezuelan Election On Migration Analyzed by New CEDA Commentary
CEDA published new commentary offering insights as to how the political crisis in Venezuela and ongoing turmoil may impact migration trends, and called for increased regional cooperation to welcome and protect Venezuelan refugees and migrants.
Key Takeaways:
Increased Pressure on Host Countries: Countries like Colombia, Brazil, and Peru, which already host large numbers of Venezuelan migrants, face additional strain on their social services, healthcare, and employment sectors as more migrants arrive. This is particularly challenging for host countries that are contending with economic and security challenges of their own, such as Ecuador, which is now experiencing its own outflow in addition to new internal displacement, or Colombia, which has already granted temporary protected status to over 1.7 million Venezuelans. Further, the integration of migrants into local communities can lead to social tensions and xenophobia, as seen in various instances across Latin America, and weaponized as an electoral campaign issue in the United States. Effective integration policies are crucial to mitigate these risks and harness the potential benefits of migration, such as cultural diversity and economic contributions. This includes education, job training, and legal support to help them contribute to and integrate into their new communities.
Deepening of A Humanitarian Crisis: The increased migration flow exacerbates humanitarian challenges, as host and transit countries struggle to provide adequate food, shelter, and medical care to the growing number of refugees. Current needs already far outstrip the number of humanitarian organizations and the funding they receive to operate in hotspot areas such as the Darien Gap and southern and northern Mexico. The UNHCR and IOM have reported significant gaps in funding, leading to inadequate support for migrants, which can result in dire living conditions and increased vulnerability.
Diplomatic Tension Will Leave Migrants in Legal Limbo: Diplomatic tensions and ruptures lead to consular processing delays or suspensions and travel disruptions. By July 29th, Venezuela had withdrawn all diplomatic personnel from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Uruguay. This dramatically affects Venezuelans who require legal documents and apostilled paperwork from their embassies to complete regularization processes, seek gainful employment, reunite with family, and benefit from humanitarian parole or refugee resettlement programs to which they may be entitled. The lack of these documents can leave migrants in legal limbo, increasing their risk of exploitation and limiting their access to essential services.
Political Tension Will Impact a Cohesive Regional Response to Crisis: The crisis can lead to heightened political tensions within and between countries across the Americas, as governments and political groups disagree on how to respond to a new influx of refugees and migrants and the root causes in Venezuela. This can undermine the delicate balance of responsibility-sharing at present and the need to continue advancing commitments made under the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection. For instance, differing national policies and political agendas can hinder the implementation of coordinated regional strategies, leading to fragmented and inefficient responses to the migration crisis at a time when the international community must strengthen protection mechanisms and provide legal safeguards to ensure the safety and dignity of migrants, especially women, children, and unaccompanied minors.
Heightened Human Rights and Protection Concerns: Migrants often face significant risks during their journey, including violence, exploitation, and abuse. Ensuring their protection and upholding their human rights is a major concern for host and transit countries. Should governments react with deepening restrictive border enforcement policies, people on the move and organized crime alike will search for new and more dangerous routes. This will generate new risks related to smuggling, human trafficking and all associated forms of violence, including sexual violence, as we have seen in the Darien and elsewhere.
“This renewed electoral crisis in Venezuela should serve as a stark reminder to the major host countries of the Americas that this is a forced displacement crisis. Venezuelans are not choosing to leave; they have no other options.” said Francisca Vigaud-Walsh, CEDA’s Director of Strategy and Advocacy and humanitarian affairs expert. “Acknowledging the political crisis while closing doors to Venezuelans is an untenable contradiction. Let this moment drive policymakers to reevaluate their migration policies and ensure they are aligned with providing safe and regular pathways to access protection.”
"The current political turmoil in Venezuela will intensify the already critical migration crisis, with the potential to force millions to flee in search of safety and stability," said María José Espinosa, CEDA’s Executive Director and Latin American policy expert. "It is imperative that regional cooperation and comprehensive policy responses are implemented to address both the immediate and long-term impacts of this ongoing crisis."
Availability: The full commentary can be accessed here. For further information or to request an interview, please contact our External Affairs Manager at isabel@weareceda.org.
About CEDA: CEDA is dedicated to fostering regional collaboration to enhance the rights, well-being, and dignity of people across the Americas. We strive to provide informed analysis and actionable recommendations to policymakers and the public.
Contact:
Isabel Albee
External Affairs Manager, CEDA
isabel@weareceda.org
www.weareceda.org
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