The United Nations estimates that as of 2016, 65.6 million people had been forcibly displaced from their countries as a result of civil war, economic crises, violence and hunger. These people have not only had to leave their homes, but have had to cross national borders seeking protection and opportunities to survive.

In the last three years, 1 million Venezuelans have arrived to Colombia fleeing the humanitarian crisis experienced under the government of Nicolás Maduro. Many have dedicated themselves to informal sales while waiting for the Colombian government to allow them to work legally. These are people who are migrating as a result of poverty, for fear of being trapped in the case of a definitive border closure and because of violence in the streets, the repression of protests, and the consistent violations of the right to freedom of expression and health—all of which have made survival in Venezuela impossible.

While in the case of Colombia, the lack of a of a route of rapid, clear and flexible attention has rendered many refugees invisible and has swelled the ranks of poverty in cities, the government has worked on a resolution that would provide temporary residence permits to Venezuelans that entered the country legally. This would allow these migrants to receive work permits and access to social security.

Dejusticia calls for solidarity in the face of the situation that Venezuela is experiencing, and we invite you to share messages of support with the hashtag #VenezuelaBienvenida, which documents personal reflections and publicizes initiatives by Colombians that have aided those coming to our country displaced by Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis.