In a great act of solidarity with its Venezuelan neighbors, Colombian President Ivan Duque announced on Monday that the country will offer temporary protected status for nearly one million Venezuelan migrants residing in Colombia. The status will allow undocumented Venezuelans to work legally and have access to the national health system and other services, including the coronavirus vaccine.
The initiative was announced by President Duque along with U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, who praised Colombia’s offer as a “humanitarian gesture of an unprecedented scale in the region — and the entire world.” “We applaud Colombia for its extraordinary generosity and its commitment to ensure protection for displaced Venezuelans. This decision serves as a model of pragmatism and humanity,” he added.
Since 2014, it is estimated that over 4.5 million Venezuelans have been forced to leave their home country, in what the United Nations calls one of the largest displacement crises in the world. Many of these refugees—an approximate 1.7 million—have migrated to the bordering country of Colombia, with more than half lacking regular legal status. Under the new initiative, Venezuelans who arrived in Colombia before January 31 and those who enter legally during the first two years of the policy will qualify for 10-year residence permits, with the possibility of a resident visa at the end of the 10-year period. The policy is expected to benefit up to one million Venezuelans living in Colombia without papers, and hundreds of thousands who will be allowed to extend their temporary visas.
In his remarks, President Duque explained that the regularization of undocumented Venezuelans under the new policy will allow Colombia to facilitate the provision of social services, benefit its security agencies, and grant migrants with access to the job market that will lessen their dependence on humanitarian assistance. Venezuelans residing in Colombia will be able to integrate and contribute fully to Colombian society and to the country’s eventual socioeconomic recovery after the pandemic. Duque added that he hopes other countries will follow Colombia’s example.
The policy has been praised throughout the world. “This important act of solidarity will allow approximately a third of the 5 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants in the region to formally access services and contribute to the Colombian economy,” a statement issued by the U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said. Additionally, he reiterated the United Nation’s commitment “to accompany and support the Government and people of Colombia in their efforts to respond to the needs of vulnerable Colombians and Venezuelans.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also applauded the move, writing that “the U.S. stands with Colombia in support of refugees and migrants as we also work to rebuild and expand our humanitarian programs worldwide.”