A lot has been said about the Venezuelan migration crisis and the increase in Venezuelan migrants but little is known about the situation of indigenous migrants – most of whom belong to the Wayúu, Warao, Yukpa and Pemón ethnic groups.
The “Complex Humanitarian Emergency” in Venezuelahas has driven more than 4.7 million Venezuelans out of their homes since 2015. This forced migration has been described by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) as the largest exodus in the region's recent history.
In addition, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Venezuela’s borders with Brazil and Colombia have been closed since mid-March, aggravating the situation of indigenous migrants. Since they cannot use the border crossings - such as Cúcuta in Colombia - to source medicines, food and other basic products on the other side of the border, the use of illegal trails or crossings has increased and, with it, the dangers to which they are vulnerable.
