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VENEZUELA-ECUADOR-LATAM-MIGRATION-DIPLOMACY
Latin American countries seek funds for Venezuela migrants
QUITO, April 10, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Several Latin American countries and the
representative for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido sought more
international funds Tuesday to manage the millions of migrants fleeing
crisis-hit Venezuela.
An estimated 2.7 million people, an average of 5,000 every day in 2018,
have left Venezuela, according to the United Nations which has noted that
neighboring countries especially Colombia have taken on most of the burden.
Venezuelans are escaping an economy in tailspin, with hyperinflation and
shortages of basic necessities including food and medicine.
“Concrete actions” of financial support are necessary, Ecuadoran vice
minister of human mobility Santiago Chavez told reporters at the meeting in
Quito.
It was also attended by representatives from the UN, World Bank and the
Inter-American Development Bank.
“We are not really satisfied with what the banks have done in terms of
financial cooperation and have asked them to do more. This serious and urgent
situation demands it,” Chavez said, without specifying the amount of global
aide necessary.
Ecuador alone has asked for $550 million to fund programs through 2021 for
about 250,000 Venezuelans registered on its territory.
In December, the UN appealed for $738 million to help displaced Venezuelans
as well as 16 countries hosting them.
Tuesday’s Quito declaration — which said about 3.5 million Venezuelans
migrated to countries of the region in the last four years — was signed by
representatives for Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
Also endorsing it was Rene de Sola, designated ambassador to Quito by
Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognized as the
interim Venezuelan president by more than 50 countries.
Guaido is in a power struggle with Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, who
is supported by the military as well as China and Russia.
Maduro’s government refused to participate in the Ecuador conference, part
of the “Quito Process” to address the humanitarian and migratory crisis.
A fourth meeting is set for July 4-5 in Buenos Aires.
The UN estimates the number of Venezuelan migrants could reach 5.3 million
by the end of 2019.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1002 hrs