US Vice President Mike Pence announced on June 26 in Brazil nearly $10 million in additional humanitarian U.S. assistance for Venezuelans who have fled their country due to the man-made crisis there.
This funding for the Venezuelan people includes a contribution to the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s regional response to the Venezuela crisis, support for the UN World Food Program’s emergency response efforts for Venezuelans who have recently arrived in Ecuador, and other humanitarian aid to Venezuelans and host communities in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and other countries throughout the region. U.S. assistance will help provide displaced Venezuelans with emergency food assistance safe drinking water, hygiene supplies, shelter, protection from violence and exploitation, and work and education opportunities, in coordination with other humanitarian organizations and government partners.
This additional $10 million brings total U.S. humanitarian assistance to the Venezuela crisis since the beginning of fiscal year 2017 to nearly $31 million.
Complementing this assistance is $18.5 million in bilateral funding to support displaced Venezuelans in Colombia who have fled the crisis in their country. The United States is coordinating with the Government of Colombia to respond rapidly to the needs of Venezuelans, Colombians, and others who have fled Venezuela.
The United States remains concerned about the struggle Venezuelan citizens face every day to meet their families’ basic needs. As a hemisphere we must increase our support for the well-being of the Venezuelan people and the restoration of their democracy. Further, we call on the Maduro regime to immediately allow international aid, including food and medicine, to reach Venezuela at a sufficient scale to meet growing humanitarian needs.
We greatly appreciate the generosity and compassion of countries throughout the hemisphere who are hosting hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans fleeing the crisis in their country. We commend the humanitarian contributions made by all donors, and encourage additional contributions to meet growing humanitarian needs.
Press release issued by the U.S. Embassy in Mexico
