- Title: UN's refugee chief warns of Venezuelan exodus without "political solution"
- Date: 13th August 2019
- Summary: SANTIAGO, CHILE (AUGUST 13, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** COMMISSIONER OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, FILIPPO GRANDI, ARRIVING AT FOREIGN MINISTRY GRANDI SHAKING HANDS WITH FOREIGN MINISTER TEODORO RIBERO GRANDI WITH RIBERO MEDIA AT EVENT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COMMISSIONER OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, FILIPPO GRANDI, SAYING: "I am not very optimistic. I think that this flow of Venezuelans in the region, which is a very significant flow, the most important that we have seen at the UNHCR. And not just in this region, it's one of the most significant flows that we have seen in the world, in recent decades. I think that this flow will continue if there is no political solution in Venezuela that will allow these people to return."
- Embargoed: 27th August 2019 19:20
- Keywords: Chile Santiago migrants Venezuela United Nations refugee chief Filippo Grandi UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
- Location: SANTIAGO + CHACALLUTA BORDER AREA, ARICA, CHILE
- City: SANTIAGO + CHACALLUTA BORDER AREA, ARICA, CHILE
- Country: Chile
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AS1Y24N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The Commissioner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi warned on Tuesday (August 13) that an exodus of Venezuelans will continue without a "political solution" to resolving deadlock in Venezuelan between the President of Nicolas Maduro and the country's opposition.
Venezuela's economic collapse has unleashed the biggest migratory crisis in recent Latin American history, and prosperous Chile is a draw for many of the more than four million Venezuelans who have emigrated.
Santiago has established a special status for Venezuelans seeking to migrate. Venezuelans seeking refuge in Chile can request a "democratic responsibility visa" at any Chilean consulate in the world. It will allow Venezuelans fleeing their crisis-hit country to stay in Chile for one year, and can be extended for an additional 12 months, a statement posted on the ministry's website said.
Grandi thanked Chile for taking in migrating Venezuelans.
Chile is part of the 12-nation Lima Group of Western states pushing for the resignation of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro. Opponents accuse Maduro of being a dictator.
(Production: Jorge Vega, Paul Vieira) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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