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Press Advisory

OAS to Present a Report on the Crisis of Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees in the Region

The Working Group of the Organization of American States (OAS) to Address the Regional Crisis Caused by Venezuela's Migrant and Refugee Flows will present, this Friday, June 28, in Medellín Colombia, within the framework of the 49th OAS General Assembly, a report that analyzes the unprecedented crisis of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the region.

At the time of publication, at least 4 million Venezuelans have fled the country, representing just over 13% of the nation's total population. Worldwide, only Syria, which has suffered civil war for more than 8 years, surpasses Venezuela in the flow of migrants and refugees.

The document investigates the country's health crisis, food insecurity, the violation of human rights, the persecution and repression, the collapse of public services, the status of Venezuelans in Latin America and the Caribbean, the prima facie recognition of Venezuelan refugees, international cooperation, and the financial challenges faced by Venezuelan migrants, among other issues.

The report responds to the mandate assigned to the Working Group to identify the patterns and reasons for migration, analyze the current context of humanitarian protection of Venezuelans in the destination countries and to propose recommendations for a regional response that will serve Venezuelans who flee the country.

The event will include presentations by the OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, the Coordinator of the Working Group, David Smolansky, independent experts and Foreign Ministers of several countries.

The meeting will be broadcast -with interpretation in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese- live through the OAS website and the official OAS Facebook page.

Press contact: Mónica Reyes ([email protected]).

WHAT: Presentation of the Report of the OAS Working Group to Address the Regional Crisis Caused by Venezuela's Migrant and Refugee Flows

WHEN: Friday, June 28 at 9:15 COT (10:15 EDT 14:15 GMT)

WHERE: Plaza Mayor A, Convention Center, Medellín, Colombia

Reference: AVI-139/19