Venezuelan Humanitarian and Refugee Crisis

• Across Latin America and the Caribbean, more than 4 million of the 6.53 million Venezuelans who have fled the country still face difficulties meeting their basic needs.
• According to the 2023 RMNA, an average of 60% of Venezuelan refugees and migrants had secured regular status in their host countries, however, this varied by country. Status could include pending asylum claims, recognized refugee status, visas or formal residencies. Only 24% of all Venezuelans in Ecuador have regular status, while 98% of Venezuelans in Brazil do. In Colombia, where the largest percentage of Venezuelans have settled, 68% are in regular status.
• In 2016, the population was 30.74 million. By 2021, it had dropped to 28.2 million and is now starting to increase, with 2023 recording a population of 28.8 million people, 1.9% increase from 2022.
• Transparency International has given Venezuela a score of 14 (0 is highly corrupt, 100 is very clean) on its Corruptions Perceptions Index. It is ranked 177 out of 180 countries. The United States has a score of 69 and a ranking of 24 by comparison.

It is expected that Venezuela will hold a presidential vote in 2024. The primaries are scheduled for October 2023, and there are concerns that Maduro is already fixing the process and eliminating the possibility of a fair vote. This included dismantling the national electoral council in June by forcing the members to resign and restaffing it in a new process led by the Venezuelan First Lady. The opposition will hold its own primary.

Maduro’s government is also working to block frontrunners, including Maria Corina Machado, a member of one of the opposition parties, Vente Venezuela, from ever holding political office, which would therefore make them ineligible for the October primary.

In July, the government said it would not allow independent observers from the European Union.

In August 2023, a bi-partisan group of U.S. senators, led by Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin and Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy, spoke out. Courthouse News Service reported that: “Durbin and Cassidy accused Maduro of undertaking ‘dynamic and persistent efforts … to destroy any semblance of a legitimate primary or general election process,’ and implored Secretary Blinken to watch the October primaries to ensure they proceed as planned, without interference from the regime. Maduro should also allow the more than a dozen opposition candidates vying for a chance to oppose him to participate in the primary, the senators said, writing that ‘the regime’s practice of arbitrarily issuing administrative bans on candidates of their choosing is unacceptable.’ Finally, the primary winner must be allowed to run in the general election against Maduro, and international observers must be permitted to oversee the contest to check its legitimacy, the lawmakers told Blinken.”

In March 2023, “a Venezuelan official said free presidential elections in 2024 were dependent on the lifting of sanctions.”

However, the U.S. government is critical of several of the actions taken by Maduro’s government.

A June 30, 2023, letter from the U.S. Department of State said, “The United States supports the Venezuelan people’s constitutional right to elect their leaders via free and fair elections. Today’s decision to disqualify Maria Corina Machado from participating in the electoral process deprives the Venezuelan people of basic political rights. Venezuelans deserve the right to select a candidate to participate in presidential elections in 2024 without interference. The United States also remains deeply concerned by the ongoing efforts to remake the composition of the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela. A strong and independent CNE is indispensable for free, fair, and competitive elections.  Ensuring all Venezuelan voices are represented in the CNE adds to its credibility and bolsters voter confidence. We stand in solidarity with all Venezuelans in their efforts to achieve free and fair elections in 2024, the restoration of democratic institutions, and an end to the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. We will continue to work with our international partners to address the urgent needs of Venezuelans inside and outside their country. The United States will also hold accountable those who seek to thwart the will of the Venezuelan people.”

The European Union issued a similar statement on July 3, 2023.

Maduro is expected to win the election in 2024. Despite this, there is an opportunity for the Biden Administration to seek concessions now in exchange for the removal of sanctions. A report from The Hill said, “The Biden administration is in talks with Venezuela to exchange sanctions relief for a free election in the South American country, according to a report by Bloomberg.”

Bloomberg Linéa reported, “The preliminary discussions involve senior officials from both nations, including Venezuela’s head of congress Jorge Rodríguez … Washington has floated the idea of sanctions relief to persuade the regime of President Nicolás Maduro to hold a competitive election in 2024, and free political prisoners … ‘Should Venezuela take concrete actions toward restoring democracy, leading to fair and free elections, we are prepared to provide corresponding sanctions relief’.”

Americas Quarterly says, “The stakes of the 2024 elections are high, but they represent not the end but the starting point of change in Venezuela. They are unlikely to offer a repeat of the 1988 plebiscite in Chile that marked the end of the Pinochet dictatorship. Chavismo is unlikely to allow itself to be defeated electorally, which would mean the loss of immunity just as a case for crimes against humanity is heating up in the International Criminal Court.”

If Maduro wins, as expected, it is likely that he will be recognized as the leader by other governments in the region. Spain’s recognition is also likely to sway the European Union into a better relationship with Maduro and Venezuela.

On June 22, a group of House Democrats sent a letter to President Biden asking the “administration to ease sanctions on Venezuela, make more aid available and assess the conditions necessary for a possible re-establishment of diplomatic relations in an effort to alleviate the economic crisis there.”

The U.S. is a destination for many Venezuelan migrants and refugees. During 2022, there was a significant increase in Venezuelan refugees and migrants heading north through Central America and Mexico. Many had resorted to dangerous travel methods, including by boat or through the treacherous Darién Gap.

After the U.S. announcement in October 2022 allowing sponsored Venezuelans to apply online, the number of people crossing at the Darién Gap decreased from 4,000 to 400 a month. However, in 2023 this reversed dramatically, with more than 333,000 people (60% Venezuelans) crossing the gap by August 2023. This is three times the number that crossed the Darién Gap in 2023.

After Mexicans, Venezuelans were the second-largest nationality stopped at the border, surpassing Cubans, Guatemalans and Hondurans.

In July 2023, 24,013 migrants from Venezuela crossed the border, a significant decrease from April 2023 (40,770 migrants), the highest month since October 2020. So far in this fiscal year (October 2022 to July 2023), 224,724 Venezuelans have entered into the U.S. via a border land crossing. This is on par with the numbers crossing the Darién Gap.

In fiscal year 2022 (October 2021 to September 2022), only 189,520 Venezuelans tried to enter the U.S. Up to 30,000 Venezuelans are allowed to enter by air each month. This agreement, signed in October 2022, is only applicable to Venezuelan residents with a U.S. sponsor who will “provide housing and other supports” as well as pay for their flights. Venezuelans must apply online for this opportunity.

Since May 2022, the monthly minimum wage in Venezuela is 130 bolivars, which is equivalent to $3.96 USD in September 2023 Even people earning several times the minimum wage struggle to survive. It is the lowest minimum wage across Latin America. In the past several months, this has decreased by 25%.

The average monthly salary in Venezuela is $24 (USD) as of Sept. 1, 2023. This is the lowest of 178 countries on BDEEX’ rating of salaries by country. By comparison, the average salary in the U.S. is $3,300 for a ranking of 18^th. The next lowest countries are Syria (177), with an average salary of $40 and Sudan (176), with an average salary of $41.

The United Nations considers $57 to be the rate of extreme poverty.

Within Venezuela

 The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) report in July 2023 said, “Health centres report structural underfunding and understaffing resulting in for example, regular blackouts and water shortages. One civil society organisation estimated that hospitals nationwide are only able to cover the costs for 35-40 per cent of emergency materials and 60 per cent of emergency medicines. The cost of these items would be mostly borne by patients and their families, limiting access to health facilities, goods and services, while disproportionately impacting those in need of lifesaving treatments, including transplants.”

Johns Hopkins University shared a health study on a webinar organized by CDP for the Simon Bolivar Foundation on health needs within Venezuela. The 2022 study found:

• “The political and economic crisis over the past five years has severely crippled the country’s health and health system. The situation has been exacerbated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Contrary to the regional life expectancy rates, Venezuela’s life expectancy has decreased.
• Venezuela saw a 5% increase in maternal mortality during this period and infant deaths were 63.6% higher in 2016 than 2012. “While global rates have decreased, infant and under-five mortality rates in Venezuela have increased in the past 20 years. Children under 1 year of age account for ~80% of deaths under 5 years. Primary causes of neonatal deaths include prematurity (40%), congenital anomalies (17%), sepsis (16%), injury (20%), pneumonia (17%). Primary causes of death in children 1-4 years of age include injury (20%), pneumonia (17%) and diarrhea (11%).
• Vaccination coverage in Venezuela is well below the regional average, with a resurgence of many vaccine-preventable diseases, most notably measles. Malaria: increased 893% from 2007 to 2017 – contrary to regional trends.”

Outside of Venezuela

Health is an issue for 54.3% of refugees and migrants from Venezuela (3.54 million people).

The RMNA 2023 said: “Once they are in their countries of intended destination, depending on their status and other requirements for accessing health services, refugees and migrants often face obstacles receiving healthcare. These obstacles include fear of rejection in health centers due to being in an irregular situation (reportedly experienced by 20 per cent of refugees and migrants in Chile), lack of health insurance (affecting 40 per cent of Venezuelans in Colombia) and lack of valid documentation (the reason given by 53 per cent of refugees and migrants in Panama for not having health insurance). Furthermore, insufficient information on how to access health systems in host countries often delays refugees and migrants from seeking timely healthcare … Other challenges identified across the region include administrative barriers to registration in health insurance systems, lack of resources to cover costs of medical services,113 transportation limitations, and linguistic and cultural disparities. Additionally, limited access to medical assistance is often exacerbated by a lack of qualified personnel, equipment, supplies and adequate infrastructure in health facilities.”

A CDP-led webinar reviewed a report on the health status and challenges of Venezuelans who have been displaced to other countries in the Americas region.

This 2022 report found that: “Many Venezuelans had pre-existing medical conditions that had gone untreated for quite some time and faced increased health risks during their journeys, such as sexual and gender-based violence. They are further challenged for various reasons in accessing quality health care in their hosting countries … Globally, forcibly displaced populations are increasingly facing the triple burden of chronic noncommunicable diseases (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory conditions, and cancer), infectious diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis), and psychiatric illnesses (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder, depression), which accurately reflects the situation of displaced Venezuelans in the Americas region … Women and girls, Indigenous peoples, particularly female Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, the elderly, members of the LGBTQI community, and children, particularly unaccompanied and separated minors, face additional acute health care access barriers, and relatedly require specific and specialized support they are currently not receiving.”

Related reading

Within Venezuela

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), Venezuela “imports more than 70 percent of the consumed processed foods and is extremely vulnerable to international price fluctuations.”

Since July 2021, WFP has been providing food assistance, primarily through school meals and school kitchen refurbishment and some disaster food support.

The Global Hunger Index ranked Venezuela 85th “out of the 121 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2022 GHI scores. With a score of 19.9, Venezuela has a level of hunger that is moderate.”

Bloomberg created the “Venezuela Café Con Leche Index” to track inflation using the price of a cup of coffee as the measurement. According to the index, as of Sept. 12, 2022, the price of a cup of coffee was 20.01 bolivars. As of Sept. 12, 2023, it is 83.33 bolivars, an increase of 316%. This is equivalent of $2.48 USD.

Similarly, a weekly food basket to help a family of four survive (aimed to be 60% of caloric need) costs 1,202.50 bolivars ($34.52 USD) as of Sept. 9, 2023. The increase in cost is higher than what Venezuelans are allocated for spending through the government’s basket ticket program, meaning the basket won’t even reach 60% of caloric needs as families will have to remove some items. This is a 25% devaluation from May 2023, despite a promise from Maduro to index it to the American dollar value.

According to a 2022 NPR story, “Many kids [in the country] are small for their age, reflecting a growing crisis of malnutrition across Venezuela. In a survey published in May 2021, the development group Caritas found that 42% of over 46,000 measurements taken from children in Venezuela’s poorest neighborhoodsreflect stunting or wasting. That means the children are too short or underweight for their age … Price controls and the seizure of farms and factories by the government led to food shortages. Hyperinflation made it harder to afford groceries. To alleviate the suffering, the government says it hands out food to about 7 millionVenezuelan households. But the economic crisis, aggravated by U.S. economic sanctions targeting the oil industry, has forced the government to cut back on food aid.”

Food insecurity has been exacerbated by the high costs of fuel. Farmers are unable to obtain enough fuel to operate their equipment, thereby reducing the amount of land capable of producing crops. Similar situations have occurred in the sugar mills and dairy industry.

Outside of Venezuela

The RMNA 2023 found that 3.18 million people (48.8%) living in one of the 17 countries after leaving Venezuela were facing food insecurity. This was fairly evenly balanced across gender and age (men-47.5%, women-47.9%, boys-49.9% and girls-49.8%.) This was highest in Bolivia (71.2% and 11,300 people) and lowest in Mexico (12% and 13,600 people). In Colombia, which has the highest number of refugees and migrants from Venezuela, 48.7% (1.41 million) are in need of food support.

• “Compared to other regions globally, the cost of a nutritious diet is highest in Latin America and the Caribbean, leaving millions unable to afford adequate and nutritious meals.
• Ongoing socio-political instability in several countries and the potential climate impacts of El Niño conditions in 2023 are anticipated to further affect food production and regional food systems.
• The food security of refugees and migrants is intrinsically linked to economic opportunities, or a lack thereof. Inadequate access to income-generating activities prevents them from affording three daily meals with a minimum nutritional value to guarantee a dignified, safe, and healthy life.”

A report by Transparency International found that only 18% of Venezuelans had access to safe drinking water in 2019. This is exacerbated by the fuel crisis, as water must be pumped from reservoirs in many regions because of the high elevation.

“Due to the unclean water in the country, many people suffer from dangerous waterborne illnesses. Not only does this harm their health, but it also disrupts the everyday socio-economic activities of their communities. Children cannot go to school because they don’t have clean clothes and people go hungry because they do not have fresh water for cooking.”

Almost half (46.1%) of people across the 17 hosting countries were in need of educational support. This includes over 60.9% of boys and 61% of girls. In Trinidad and Tobago, 99% of children are out of school. By contrast, only 1% of students are out of class in Argentina.

The RMNA 2023 says:

• “Refugee and migrant children face multiple challenges in exercising their right to education. These challenges stem from obstacles that prevent access to and permanence in education institutions in their host countries.
• Another important need affecting school attendance is families’ lack of economic means to cover costs for enrolment and essential supplies, such as school materials, transportation, and uniforms.
• Meanwhile, densely populated urban areas are facing increased demand for enrolment slots in schools, further contributing to refugees’ and migrants’ access challenges, along with a widespread lack of information on how local education systems (including enrolment procedures) operate.
• Cross-cutting needs which impact refugee and migrant children’s enrolment and performance in schools also include discrimination, xenophobia, violence and a lack of mitigation of learning gaps due to low levels of literacy and numeracy.”

In the RMNA 2023, 63.8% or 4.16 million people in the 17 hosting countries were identified as in need of protection.

• “Most refugees and migrants cannot meet states’ requirements for regular entry, and therefore have no alternative than to resort to irregular routes, many of which are controlled by smugglers and traffickers, on which they endure dangerous conditions. In some countries, refugees and migrants face militarized border controls, are denied entry, detained, or expelled from the territories, often in violation of the principle of non-refoulement under International Human Rights and Refugee Law.
• In addition, a significant number of Venezuelans still need regular status and protection in their host countries, despite significant ongoing efforts to promote their access to asylum, temporary protection, regularization and other regular stay arrangements.
• In the absence of regular status, refugees and migrants face great barriers to effectively exercising their rights and accessing protection services, including justice, psychological support, family reunification and support for survivors of gender-based violence, as well as other essential services, including healthcare, education, adequate housing, livelihoods and WASH.
• Refugees and migrants in several countries also report fear of experiencing – or have already experienced – manifestations of xenophobia, which cause further barriers to accessing services.
• Regarding the need to prevent, mitigate and respond to protection risks, Venezuelans in multiple countries report fear of violence in their communities, often leading to further displacement or significant protection risks. For instance, where there is either internal conflict and/or criminal groups engaged in illicit economies, refugees and migrants are under threat of forced recruitment, physical violence, and sexual exploitation, with indigenous peoples often particularly impacted, given cultural and language barriers as well as intersectional specific needs.
• Furthermore, Venezuelans continue to be at greater risk of various forms of violence and human rights violations, including human trafficking, smuggling, gender-based violence, exploitation and abuse of children, labour exploitation, incidents of xenophobia, discrimination, and the impacts of climate change and disasters.
• Finally, groups identified as having special protection needs include children (especially those who are unaccompanied or separated), LGBTQI+ persons, older persons, persons living with HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence survivors, persons engaged in transactional sex, pregnant women, single mothers traveling with children, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples.”