GENEVA, Switzerland — UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has welcomed the request this week from Curacao to the Netherlands for support in responding to the ongoing influx of Venezuelan refugees and migrants to the Caribbean island. The Curacao authorities estimate there are around 26,000 Venezuelans currently residing there. It is urgent that they have access to protection and assistance.
UNHCR reiterated its offer to provide immediate operational and legal support to both Curacao and the Netherlands in line with their laws and international obligations.
More than 2.3 million Venezuelan citizens have left their country since 2015 as a result of the ongoing political, human rights and socio-economic developments in Venezuela. In recent months, UNHCR has observed a worrying increase in the vulnerability of refugees and migrants from Venezuela, in particular children and women. They need access to asylum or regular status, as well as shelter, health, education and other basic services. Receiving communities are under increasing strain, which can undermine peaceful coexistence and incite displays of discrimination and xenophobia.
