Washington, DC - Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State: "The United States continues to be a catalyst for the international response to help the Venezuelan people and region respond to the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the former Maduro regime. We are providing more than $200 million in additional assistance from the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), including more than $138 million in humanitarian assistance, for Venezuelans in need.
"This includes critical humanitarian support to Venezuelans inside Venezuela, as well as humanitarian and development support for those who have fled to countries across the region and the communities hosting them. The United States remains the largest single donor responding to the crisis, with over $856 million in total assistance since FY 2017, including nearly $611 million in humanitarian assistance. Our commitment has been matched in action by the 16 countries across the region who have opened their doors to their Venezuelan neighbors in need.
"This assistance underscores our ongoing leadership to the response and continuing commitment to the Venezuelan people, including the more than five million Venezuelans who have fled their country to date due to the tyranny of the former Maduro regime. Our humanitarian assistance will meet critical life-saving needs, including food and nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene and health, temporary shelter, cash assistance, education services; protection for vulnerable children, indigenous communities, the elderly, women, and other vulnerable populations; legal aid; registration and protection monitoring support; and research to track the evolving needs of Venezuelans across the region.
"Development assistance is helping countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean meet longer-term needs caused by the regional crisis. Efforts include education and health systems strengthening, improving government capacity to manage migration and socioeconomic integration, human rights protection and access to justice, vocational training, and employment and entrepreneurship opportunities through the private sector.
"The Inter-American Foundation (IAF) is investing $4.9 million in community-led efforts addressing longer-term needs of Venezuelan refugees and other migrants in refugee and migrant-receiving communities in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, and Chile. IAF grantees encourage social and economic inclusion of displaced Venezuelans by increasing opportunities to earn income, promoting conflict resolution, and facilitating access to health and psychosocial services.
"The United States remains the largest single donor of humanitarian and health assistance around the world, and for Venezuelans in need. We do this because our National Security Strategy prioritizes the reduction of human suffering and doing our part to respond to crisis situations makes Americans safer at home. We recognize all donors who have committed resources to these life-saving initiatives, including those who plan to contribute to the upcoming donors conference hosted by Spain and the European Union with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and encourage both traditional and new donors to increase their efforts to help meet growing needs of crisis responses."
