The humanitarian crisis in Venezuela seems not to come to an end due to the current political situation. The government and the opposition have been engaged in a power struggle for 21 years. Some lawmakers and opposition politicians have been arrested, and some others have gone into exile.
The private properties that cover a wide array of economic sectors in Venezuela have been affected by the primitive economic development model that the government has chosen. This has generated a huge impact in thousands of Venezuelans’ lives.
There is no doubt that Venezuelans have to live from day to day, struggling to find the basic supplies. Nowadays, the country is still going through a political and economic crisis with daily power cuts, shortages and a skyrocketing hyperinflation that never ends. In this article, we will cover the critical statistics about the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.
Shortages of food and medicines
In Venezuela, people struggle to survive every day. Basic supplies such as rice, chicken, pasta, flour, sugar are rationed and people are only allowed to buy up to two of each product. This has brought several consequences when feeding their families properly. Besides, there is a huge shortage of medicines, making access to health care more difficult.
The unemployment rate is very high, and the economic system has collapsed due to poor governance, corruption and misguided policies. The lack of basic supplies and the sudden loss of income have forced people to scavenge for food in the garbage bins.
The lack of basic services
More than 20 million Venezuelans have been affected due to the regular electricity blackouts, the lack of access to clean drinking water, domestic gas and internet service are especially affecting the most populated areas of the country.
The largest exodus and refugee crisis of Latin America
Because of the country’s political and economic crisis, more than 5.5 million Venezuelans are estimated to have left their homeland and desperately fled to neighboring countries. According to Human Rights Watch, the exodus started in 2014.
Most of them have migrated to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, United States and Spain due to a longstanding economic and political crisis and shortage of food.
It should also be emphasized that many Venezuelan refugees living in other countries, remain in an irregular situation without a work permit that allows them to work legally, send their children to school and have access to medical health care. This situation makes them vulnerable to labor exploitation in neighboring countries.
The world’s biggest diaspora of children
Venezuela is recognized for having the record of the biggest exodus of children during the last five years. It is even bigger than the number of children that crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Europe in 2015.
Statistics you must know about the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela
Childhood malnutrition
2.1 million people need immediate nutritional assistance, as well as 1.5 million underage children who live in deplorable conditions.
Deplorable health care system
Preventable diseases like measles, malaria, tuberculosis and diphtheria have re-emergence in the country. There are 2.8 million people who need immediate medical assistance, among which 1.1 million are children.
Lack of basic services
Around 4.3 million people need water supply and sanitation service, and 17% of the poorest don’t even have access to drinking water.
We should not only take notice of the current humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, but the fact that these numbers represent each person as the most vulnerable people in Latin America.
You already know the situation in Venezuela… Would you like to do something about it?
