The Bolivarian Government, represented by the Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, Jorge Arreaza, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) signed on Monday a Framework Agreement on the Reunification of Venezuela Children and Adolescents Overseas with their Families or Representatives in Venezuela.
The Venezuelan foreign minister thanked the delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for being always willing to help, with rigor, professionalism and prudence, the most vulnerable population in the most sensitive areas.
Arreaza explained the phenomenon of migration in recent years is new to Venezuela, and pointed out that it is directly linked to a geopolitical strategy against the country.
He also expressed the concern of the Government of President Nicolás Maduro about the cases of Venezuelan children and adolescents who have been abandoned, especially in Colombia, some of them placed in state-run institutions, and, as there are not diplomatic ties with Duque’s administration, it has become extremely difficult to reunite these population with their families in Venezuela.
In this regard, Arreaza praised the ICRC’s support to locate these children and adolescents in the neighboring country and bring them back home.
He also congratulated the work done by the staff of the Foreign Ministry’s Office for Consular Relations to locate Venezuelan children and adolescents in Colombia and their relatives in Venezuela.
Furthermore, the head of the regional delegation of the ICRC, Arnaud de Baecque, said the endorsement of this agreement reaffirms the good relations between the ICRC and the Venezuelan Government.
Baecque explained that thanks to the presence and connections of the International Red Cross in several countries, they will assist to identify, recognize and reunite Venezuelan children and adolescents with their families through their child protection policy.
The head of the ICRC regional delegation pointed out that the framework agreement will also enable the endorsement of the operating agreement on implementation.