RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced that it would reinforce its response on Chile’s northern border to ensure safe access to the large number of Venezuelan migrants expected to arrive in the coming days.
The situation in Venezuela is untenable for thousands of people who are forced to leave their country every week due to the severe economic crisis, the Geneva-based organization stressed in a statement.
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According to data from local authorities, since November of this year, between 400 and 500 refugees and migrants from Venezuela have been crossing the border from Bolivia to Chile every day. The UN agency pointed out that most people arriving in Chile do so through irregular routes and unsafe conditions.
“Some are forced to cross the Atacama Desert, where dangers include the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse by criminal groups. In turn, they arrive on foot, without appropriate clothing for the extreme weather conditions of the desert, where days are very hot and night temperatures can drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius,” said the head of UNHCR’s national office, Rebeca Cenalmor-Rejas.
She added that they are reinforcing their response at the northern border to support national, regional, and local authorities to ensure safe access and improve reception conditions.
In coordination with the authorities and partners’ support, UNHCR provides information and legal advice to newly arrived Venezuelans. In addition, the Agency also provides food, medical care, emergency shelter, and essential relief items such as blankets and winter clothing.