As representative of the Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations in Geneva, Arline Díaz Mendoza denounced on Monday that the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States against the South American nation have been the main cause of the migration of Venezuelans, who have been victims of exclusion in receiving countries.
In his statement at the at the 13th Global Forum on Migration and Development Summit (GFMD), at the side event themed “It Takes a Community: Building a Global Movement to Balance the Narrative on Migration,” the Venezuelan diplomat said that “these illegal measures have had a very negative, direct impact on the wellbeing and quality of life of Venezuelans and migrants received in our country.”
In this regard, Díaz said that the misnamed sanctions promoted by the U.S. imperialism and its allies against Venezuela have become “a contributory factor to migration and the return of the victims of these cruel sanctions,” highlighting that “these circumstances have not been duly made visible by the international community.”
The Venezuelan representative stressed that in the midst of the U.S. blockade, in addition to the COVID-19 sanitary crisis, the Bolivarian Government is strengthening the social programs spearheaded by the Commander Chávez and President Nicolás Maduro administrations to meet the need of the people, including migrants, without discrimination.
“We have Mission Identity, Mission Barrio Adentro (…) We have different campaigns to distribute food that benefit both Venezuelans and migrants residing in our country,” she stressed.
This GFMD side event highlighted how concrete action and collaboration between a variety of actors can turn the tide on misinformation and promote a more balanced discourse on migration.
The event showcased a collaborative campaign developed by the GFMD Working Group on Public Narratives on Migration that aims to shift the narrative on migration by sharing stories about the positive impact migration can have on communities worldwide.