Washington, DC - Vice President Mike Pence announced Tuesday at the 73rd regular session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, NY, more than $48 million in additional humanitarian U.S. assistance for Venezuelans affected by the man-made crisis in Venezuela.
This funding will help provide affected 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 NGOs and government partners. This funding includes contributions to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Venezuelans throughout the region. This funding also supports the UN World Food Program’s emergency response efforts to help feed Venezuelans in Colombia as well as those who have recently arrived in Ecuador. It also supports non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are delivering humanitarian aid to Venezuelans and hosting communities in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and other countries throughout the region.
This additional $48 million brings total U.S. humanitarian assistance for vulnerable Venezuelans and for the neighboring communities hosting those who have fled to more than $95 million since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2017. This $95 million total in humanitarian assistance is complemented by $23.5 million in economic support and development assistance dedicated to Colombia to help boost its capacity to absorb incoming Venezuelans.
The United States remains concerned about the struggle Venezuelan citizens face every day to meet their families’ basic needs amid the chaos and repression unleashed by the Maduro regime, and urges increased support for the well-being of the Venezuelan people and the restoration of their democracy. Further, the United States calls 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.
The United States greatly appreciates the generosity and compassion of countries throughout the hemisphere who are hosting hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans fleeing the crisis in their country. The United States commends the humanitarian contributions made by all donors, and encourages them to make additional funding available to meet the growing crisis.
