Current Refugee Situation in Cúcuta

Refugee Situation in Cúcuta

Venezuelan have been forced to leave their country in order to escape violence, persecution, lack of work, lack of food and medicine. With nowhere to go, no food and no shelter, these Venezuelans face the difficult reality of life as refugees.

In February 2018, Colombia opened a center of attention for people who are in-transit from Venezuela, in order to rest there. The Colombian authorities don’t agree with opening shelters on the border because they don’t want to provide a place for people “to stick around.” The authorities are trying to prevent the “pull factor” that camps may create, encouraging more Venezuelans to arrive in a city that is already overburdened. Additionally, the risk of refugee camps becoming attractive to armed groups in Colombia is high. These armed groups can target vulnerable people who can be exploited or recruited. 

The Venezuelan exodus into Colombia is a challenge too great for Colombians to handle alone. A portion of this burden must be shared with other countries since the destabilizing effects of the Venezuelan situation affect other Latin American nations.

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