Jolie praises Colombia's response to Venezuelan refugee crisis

The Hollywood actress and UNHCR sent, Angelina Jolie, highlighted Colombia's humanitarian response to help Venezuelans who have fled the economic and political crisis that affects their country.

Speaking at a press conference in the Maicao refugee camp in the La Guajira region on the border between Colombia and Venezuela on Saturday, Jolie urged the international community to address the problem that is getting worse, reports Efe mews.
The number of Venezuelans leaving their country has reached four million, announced on Friday the United Nations Agency for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration.

More than 1.3 million are in Colombia, where the government provides assistance in education and medical care.

"More than 400,000 Colombians, who had been displaced to Venezuela, have now been forced to return because of the catastrophic situation there."

"They are next to the 1.3 million Venezuelan refugees who have sought protection in Colombia," Jolie said.

Jolie, who was accompanied by UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner Kelly Clements and UNHCR's representative in Colombia, Jozef Mekx, said: "It is extraordinary that a country that faces so many great challenges has shown such humanity and makes them live. and resistance of Colombians

"Colombia still keeps its borders open and is doing everything possible to absorb these unprecedented numbers of desperate people."

The actress, who met with Colombian President Ivan Duque on Saturday in Cartagena, warned that more than 20,000 children born in Colombia of Venezuelan parents are at risk of becoming stateless.

  Angelina Jolie plays with children in a camp run by the UN Refugee Agency.

"The president and I talked about the risk of statelessness for more than 20,000 Venezuelan children and their commitment to always help children," he added.

Duque said he had a conversation with Jolie about "the need to address the nationalization of thousands of Venezuelan children in our country who do not have a defined immigration status today."

"Doing it is a humanitarian act, which offers opportunities and benefits that deserve to come out of this tragedy," he added.