On November 8, 2023, the IACHR released its report on “Migrants and Refugees from Venezuela”, addressing the causes of forced displacement from the country. According to the IACHR, it is estimated that more than 7 million people have left Venezuela since 2015, leading to a “massive forced exodus” mainly to other countries in the region, such as Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Brazil. This has made the migratory flow from Venezuela the largest in the world, along with that from Syria. The causes triggering this situation are due not only to the complex political scenario, but also to the economic crisis and the high unemployment rates. Among other reasons for the exodus are the absence of the rule of law, repression and the closure of democratic spaces, among other serious and systematic human rights violations. In this regard, extrajudicial executions by police officers and arbitrary detentions for political purposes are commonplace in the country.
Venezuelan migrants and refugees leave their country in search of better living conditions. Source. ACNUR.
The IACHR also noted that there is a humanitarian crisis due to lack of access to economic, social, cultural and environmental rights, which can be reflected in poverty levels, lack of access to food, and the collapse of the health system. Given these circumstances, the IACHR recommended Venezuela to address the reasons for forced displacement and to ensure that people who want to return to the country can do so freely. In addition, it urged the States of the region to provide protection to forced migrants according to the nature of the displacements and grant them refugee status. The report (in Spanish) can be found here and the press release here.
