In the past, Venezuela has generously hosted many refugees from the

region and other parts of the world. People in Venezuela are now
forced to leave their continuous homes, and a significant number of
them need international protection. More than 4 million Venezuelans
have left their country to date, according to government data.
There has been an 8,000 percent increase in the number of
Venezuelans who have applied for refugee status worldwide.
Most of the refugees and migrants from Venezuela who arrived in
neighboring countries are families with children, pregnant women, the
elderly and people with disabilities. Often forced to take irregular routes
to reach a safe place, they may be victims of smugglers and irregular
armed groups.

What is ACNUR doing to help

ACNUR is the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Across the region, ACNUR is working closely with host country
governments and strategic partners, in particular with OIM, to respond
with a coordinated and comprehensive approach to the needs of
Venezuelan refugees and migrants, ACNUR complements
government efforts to provide emergency shelter to newly arrived
Venezuelans at borders and in major cities.
To guarantee a comprehensive response at the United Nations level,
and to support the efforts of the main host governments, the
Interagency Coordination Platform for the Situation of Venezuela - led
by ACNUR and OIM - has launched the Regional Response Plan for
Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela on December 14, 2018. The
Plan, developed together with the 95 partners, has as a priority
objective the needs of refugees and migrants from Venezuela. at the
same time constituting a strategic and operational plan, a coordination
model, and a financing mechanism for Venezuelans on the move.