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VENEZUELANS CONTINUED TO surge out of their country today, joining the 7.5% of the population that has already fled a deepening economic crisis, as regional governments struggled to cope with one of the biggest exoduses in Latin American history.
The wave of Venezuelan migration has accelerated in recent days amid new restrictions imposed by some of Venezuela’s overwhelmed neighbors, sparking a warning from the United Nations.
Migrants were dashing to get into Peru before it tightens border controls at midnight. Venezuelans arriving after that deadline will be required to produce a passport, where an ID card had previously sufficed.
“It remains critical that any new measures continue to allow those in need of international protection to access safety and seek asylum,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said Thursday in a statement issued jointly with the International Organization of Migration in Geneva.
Ecuador — where close to half a million people have fled this year alone — imposed a passport requirement only last week.
The UN said up to 4,000 people were arriving daily in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Brazil, where migrants have been violently turned back by locals concerned by increasing crime.
The new passport rules threatened to leave tens of thousands stranded in Ecuador and Colombia, exacerbating problems there.
Ecuador will host a 13-nation regional summit next month to discuss the worsening exodus.
That nation’s foreign ministry said Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Paraguay, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela have been invited to the September 17-18 meeting in Quito.
Lines at Peruvian border
In Tumbes, on the Peruvian side of the border with Ecuador, lines of people waited to have their papers checked, sweating in the tropical climate in an area known for its banana plantations.
Only around half of the Venezuelans heading south to escape poverty and economic crisis are carrying passports, according to Colombia’s migration director, Christian Kruger. The other half have ID cards.
Peru has also been struggling to cope. Earlier this month, a record 5,100 people entered the country in a single day.
Peru’s migration superintendent, Eduardo Sevilla, said on Thursday that “there are already 400,000″ Venezuelans in the country and if they continue arriving at the same rate, there will be “half a million by the beginning of November.”
Many queueing at the border left Venezuela on foot weeks ago. They’ve already traveled 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles), but those who get through face another 1,200-kilometer journey to the Peruvian capital Lima.
Local churches have been handing out food to the weary and hungry migrants as they wait.
Meanwhile, Peru has called for calm, saying the number of Venezuelans affected by the new policy will be relatively minor.
“No one’s talking about the closing of borders,” said Interior Minister Mauro Medina.
He said Peru is improving its “migration control for reasons of order and security,” adding that “80% of Venezuelans who come into the country do so with a passport.”
Kruger criticized the measures announced by Colombia’s two southern neighbors, admitting he was “worried about the consequences.”
“Asking for a passport isn’t going to stop migration, because they’re leaving their country not out of choice but out of necessity,” he said.
The UN says more than 2.3 million of Venezuela’s 30.6 million population have fled the country since the current crisis began in 2014, a staggering 7.5%.
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As magaret thatcher said ” the problem with socialism is you eventually run out of other peoples money” … feel for the people thou .
@Jonathan Whelan: are Sinn Fein still extolling the virtues of the Venezuelian political and economic system?
@Dermot Lane: well, that’s up to you to decide in the next election.
@Gavin Scott: Will it be a yes/no question on the ballot paper?
@Dermot Lane: very true but all these people shouting for more hand outs from the goverment need to take heed of this, Chavez was corupt and even in 2011 he called for the poor to ” occupy unused land” which rings through with alot of what is going on in dublin . Prime example why the social welfare budget needs cutting, there is work out there now, 5,6,years it will be a recession so cap social welfare now so when there is a downturn there is money there for the people who are paying all the tax now..
@Clifford Brennan: I’m the guy who vehemently slagged SF religiously for the last 10 years.
But, but-but. If they changed their tune to match their NI tune and reduced taxes for upper middle class folk and increased employment we’d “talk”.
@Gavin Scott: That’s a lot of ifs Gavin. :)
@Gavin Scott: ?
@Clifford Brennan: true that. To be fair I thought this was the thread for too much wine in a week!!! (;
@Jonathan Whelan: thankfully she’s dead
@lochinvar56: I’m no fan of hers but the statenent/quote is correct. Which is reinforced by the fact you could only come up with a school yard level reply.
@Colm Lyons: Why? because she saw the hand out bridge for what they were? From a irish prospective she was a c u next tuesday, but she was 100% on this one.
@Jonathan Whelan: SF should introduced a land value tax on farming land to make it more efficient.
@Jonathan Whelan: They threw out all the US corporates. what do you expect would happen? they have more oil than the saudis. but not the same allies.
@Sean Conway: Yes and no, that is over simplistic, the economics of farming is such that the revenue generated versus the value of the land would kill farming especially with less productive land in the west, hills etc. There needs to be a capping of CAP payments as the farms who get the biggest payments have economy of scale so should not be getting such large amounts. What really needs to happen is a capping of social welfare at 39 min/or living wage, as it maybe unpalletable but alot of those “stuck” on welfare long term are there due to them not having the skills/drive to actually earn the same amount there handed on social. Spend the saving on building affordable housing so it is seen that work pays
@Jonathan Whelan: Invest in people when they are young. give EVERYBODY the same opportunities. until then. to criticize them makes no sense.
@Sean Conway: totally agree and the children of working middle class are being discriminated against in 3rd level ed. All should pay or free 3rd level for all.
Where are all the Chavistas that used to populate the Journal? Amazing how quiet they have all gone. Even Sinn Fein and it’s supporters haven’t muttered a word. When before they were hailing Venezuela a Socialist utopia, showing the rest of the world how economies should be run.
@Mick Jordan: big difference between socialist Venezuela and our own dole queue. Well, the symptoms are greatly different anyhow.
@Gavin Scott: The already rich recieve more than their fair share. in the guise of subsidies and grants.
And this is the socialiist republuc SF held up as an example of a country!! They even claimed the election was fair of the anti gay dictator 2 months ago ! Their rep even attended a pre election briefing with the dictator. Socialism and marxism never works. It makes everybody equal ….. in poverty.
@Greg Kelly:
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others…
And this my socialists friends is why I regard the people before profit, solidarity, and Paul Murphy and Co as very dangerous with an agenda which only benefits themselves
This is what socialist utopias eventually all become
@Conor Walsh: Not one mention of what maduro has to say for himself. what a biased article.
It’s sad to see the human suffering. In terms of natural resources they are one of the wealthiest nations on the continent but piss-poor economic management, governmental corruption and covert foreign interference have really screwed people over.
It’s funny how quiet the champagne socialists here are over all this.
A certain amount of social values is needed in terms of health and housing but lots of people are calling for a state involvement and intervention in every segment of the economy. Micromanaging and regulating everything to death.
If history has taught us anything it’s that socialism on a nationstate level just does not work, it never has and never will.
@John Fergus: very well put argument. Indeed there is a need for a social support system. But what “non-contributory” people can claim needs to be capped and fast. There being handed money that alot of them could never earn.
And people are complaining about Trump.
@Decko Kelly: a bit of balance helped a man to walk on two feet
Maduro worth millions while the people he’s supposed to represent starve. Socialism at it’s very worst! And some still believe in this failed redundant system!
@Paddy: There will be someone along shortly to tell you it’s not “Real” Socialism.
@Paddy: I’m sceptical about the whole thing, sure all the Venezuelans are billionaires aren’t they? Sure didn’t the “Great” Chavez die worth in excess of $1bn. and it’s a socialist country which means they’re all equal right?
Reminds me of the former USSR, Romania East Germany et al, without the opportunity to cross borders at all. Still – there’s always the UN on hand. Maybe.
Where is the Rissen ??
This happens in our own society too so get the blinkers off and think about the judgy posts. Its not long ago people in this country fled for foreign shores because we bailed out the banks. We need to get our own house in order!
@Chris OB: I think you’re the one wearing blinkers if u are comparing what’s going on in Venezuela and Ireland during the last recession
This is all down to an economic war led by the US and the opposition in their own country. sad that they would do this to their people for the sake of oil.
@Sean Conway: You’re dangerously deluded. No matter how much evidence piles up that socialism is a bad idea you just refuse to accept it.
@Damon16: Not deluded —just a bit of a flute!
Let’s send Mattie McGrath to Peru,
Rather have the Bigot there than here.
The problem is if everyone has a million bucks it becomes worthless…
The socialist Eutopia hasnt worked out . They need some social justice over there ….. wait … ohhhhh …… pass the bucket please ..
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