From 2014 onward, rising insecurity and economic collapse pushed growing numbers of Venezuelans to leave the country. This period is widely used as the starting point of the modern regional displacement crisis in the Americas. Over time, the movement included people seeking jobs and services as well as people needing international protection (refugee-type protection).
Peru started issuing the Permiso Temporal de Permanencia (PTP) for Venezuelans, a one-year temporary resident permit. The policy aimed to reduce irregular status and allow access to work, education, and basic services while the regional movement was growing. It became one of the early large-scale regularization tools used in the region.
Colombia created and implemented the Permiso Especial de Permanencia (PEP) to help Venezuelans already in the country regularize their stay. This was important because Colombia was a main destination and transit country, and documentation helped reduce exploitation and improve access to services. The PEP later evolved through several rounds as the population grew.
Brazil launched Operação Acolhida (Operation Welcome) to organize reception and humanitarian support for Venezuelans entering mainly through Roraima state. The operation combined emergency assistance, shelter, and relocation within Brazil to ease pressure on border towns. It became one of the largest state-led reception operations in the region.
The UN Secretary-General instructed UNHCR and IOM to lead and coordinate a regional response to the Venezuela situation. This decision helped move the response from mostly national, country-by-country measures toward more structured regional coordination. It also laid groundwork for later regional planning through the R4V platform.
A group of Latin American countries met in Quito and issued the Quito Declaration to improve regional coordination on Venezuelan human mobility. The Quito Process focused on shared approaches such as documentation, information-sharing, and coordination among states. It was a key political step toward managing a cross-border movement that no single country could handle alone.
UNHCR, IOM, and partners published the first Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RMRP) for people from Venezuela. The plan coordinated humanitarian help and protection across multiple countries and formally framed the crisis as a regional emergency requiring shared planning and funding. This became the backbone for later annual response plans.
By early 2019, UNHCR reported that the number of Venezuelans outside the country had reached about 3.4 million, underscoring the speed and scale of the crisis. The statement also noted growing asylum claims and highlighted the need for coordinated regional support. This was a major marker showing the crisis had become one of the largest displacement situations in the world.
Ecuador introduced a requirement for Venezuelans to hold a “temporary exceptional visa for humanitarian reasons” to enter and remain, implemented under Decree 826. UNHCR reported that official border arrivals dropped sharply after the rule took effect, while irregular entries increased, changing protection needs along routes and in cities. This policy shift highlighted how visa rules could redirect migration into riskier paths.
Colombia announced the Estatuto Temporal de Protección para Migrantes Venezolanos (ETPV), designed to provide a pathway to temporary regular status for up to 10 years. The measure aimed to improve identification, reduce irregularity, and support longer-term inclusion in a country hosting one of the largest Venezuelan populations. The announcement became a regional reference point for large-scale regularization.
By 2022–2023, many Venezuelans traveling toward North America began crossing the Darién Gap (the dangerous jungle area between Colombia and Panama). UN sources reported the number of Venezuelans making this crossing increased sharply, reflecting tighter visa regimes and fewer safe, regular routes. The shift raised humanitarian and protection risks, including violence and family separation.
Venezuelans increasingly sought asylum in Europe as the crisis continued and diaspora networks expanded. EUAA reported that by May 2025, Venezuelans were the most common citizenship applying for asylum in the EU+, with most claims lodged in Spain. This showed the movement was not only regional but also increasingly global.
By December 2025, UNHCR reported that nearly 7.9 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants were living outside Venezuela worldwide, with most hosted in Latin America and the Caribbean. The update showed the crisis remained ongoing despite some spontaneous returns and despite multiple regularization and integration efforts. It also framed the continuing strain on host communities and services as a central challenge.
In December 2025, UNHCR and IOM, through R4V, launched an appeal tied to the 2026 regional response plan, highlighting changing migration dynamics in the region. The announcement noted declining northward movements and increasing southbound movements, emphasizing the need to pair humanitarian support with longer-term integration. This marks the current phase of the crisis: a prolonged displacement situation managed through ongoing regional planning rather than a short emergency response.
Venezuelan refugee and migrant crisis (2014–present)