Stepping up assistance to Venezuelans crossing Chile’s inhospitable northern border 

“Children, adolescents, large women and the aged often request urgent aesculapian enactment aft respective days traveling connected foot”, said Rebeca Cenalmor-Rejas, Head of UNHCR’s National Office successful Chile.  

An arduous journey 

Since November, section authorities have reported that between 400 and 500 refugees and migrants from Venezuela person been crossing the border every day from Bolivia into Chile.  

“All of them anticipation to find information and stableness successful Chile”, said Ms. Cenalmor-Rejas. 

They are driven by the economical interaction of COVID-19, which has left galore destitute, and are hoping to reunite with household members.  

Most Venezuelans usage irregular routes, braving the distant Atacama Desert, wherever dangers see intersexual exploitation and maltreatment by transgression groups.  

They journey by foot, lacking the appropriate covering for the extreme upwind conditions of the desert’s long, very hot days and nighttime temperatures that drop to -20 degrees C. 

Many get bare and successful sick health, suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, hypothermia and altitude sickness.  

Moreover, the caller arrivals often deficiency due structure and are forced to slumber retired successful the open.  

Since the opening of the year, immoderate 21 radical have lost their lives astatine Chile’s bluish border. 

Providing assistance 

Without proper documentation, those on the move cannot find regular jobs and, without resources, look difficulties successful continuing their travel from borderline areas to different cities. 

“UNHCR is strengthening its effect astatine the bluish border to enactment national, determination and section authorities successful guaranteeing harmless entree and improving reception conditions”, said Ms. Cenalmor-Rejas.  

Coordinating with the authorities and shored up by partners, UNHCR is providing information and ineligible counselling to the newly arrived Venezuelans, along with food, currency assistance, fuel vouchers, aesculapian care, exigency shelter, and basic alleviation items – such arsenic blankets and wintertime clothes. 

International support ‘crucial’ 

Since the beginning of the year, UNHCR has assisted 20,000 refugees and migrants from Venezuela successful the bluish regions of Chile. 

And it is expanding its staffing and partners astatine the bluish border, aiming to scope more of the vulnerable refugees.  

To assistance successful controlling COVID-19, the UN exile agency is also working with section and nationalist authorities to acceptable up a centre in the municipality of Iquique, where caller arrivals volition acquisition the required quarantine successful harmless and dignified conditions. 

In parallel, anticipating that Venezuelans volition commencement looking for opportunities successful different parts of the country, during 2021, UNHCR strengthened its collaboration with 5 partners to administer assistance successful cities successful confederate Chile. 

“UNHCR, arsenic portion of the inter-agency response, is committed to offering alleviation to those successful request and the communities welcoming them”, said Ms. Cenalmor-Rejas. “However, timely enactment by the planetary assemblage is important for america to proceed expanding our programmes”. 

Venezuelan migrants 

Chile is currently home to an estimated 448,100 refugees and migrants from Venezuela, not counting the thousands who person entered the state done irregular borderline crossings. 

In 2022, UNHCR volition request a full of $20.3 cardinal to guarantee capable humanitarian assistance and support Venezuelan communities to go self-reliant crossed the country.