UNITED NATIONS, United States, April 5, 2019 (AFP) – The number of children
who are affected by the Venezuelan crisis and who will need humanitarian aid
this year is expected to more than double to reach 1.1 million, up from
nearly 500,000, the UN children’s agency said Thursday.
The figure includes children uprooted from Venezuela, those who have
returned and others in host and transit communities across Latin America and
the Caribbean, said a UNICEF statement.
The latest estimate highlighted expectations among aid agencies that the
political crisis in Venezuela will worsen in the coming months, exacerbating
the dire humanitarian situation of children and families.
UNICEF called on governments in the region to uphold the rights of children
and ensure they have access to essential services.
An internal UN report seen by AFP last week said seven million people —
about 24 percent of Venezuela’s population — are in need of humanitarian
aid, lacking access to food and medical care.
President Nicolas Maduro has blamed US sanctions for Venezuela’s economic
problems but opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself interim
president, says government corruption and mismanagement are at fault.
Guaido is recognized by the United States and around 50 other governments.
The UN Security Council is expected to meet next week at the request of the
United States to discuss Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis.