Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 29 Aug 2018, 06:59 am Print
Brasilia: Amid growing tensions, Brazil has announced that it will deploy forces along the Venezuelan border to guarantee law and order.
The announcement was made by President Michel Temer in a televised speech, adding that Venezuela is threatening peace in South America.
Millions have left Venezuela as the country is grappling with hyperinflation, medicine and food scarcities.
The Brazilian soldiers will be stationed at the border for two weeks, Temer added.
"The problem of Venezuela is no longer one of internal politics. It is a threat to the harmony of the whole continent," he said.
Vamos buscar apoio na comunidade internacional para adoção de medidas diplomáticas firmes que solucionem esse problema, que não é mais de política interna de um país, mas avançou pela fronteira de vários países e ameaça a harmonia de todo nosso continente.
— Michel Temer (@MichelTemer) August 28, 2018
Meanwhile, as migrants continue to enter neighbouring countries, Peru has declared a 60-day health emergency in two of its provinces on its northern border. The measure was taken after health authorities voiced concern that the influx may initiate a disease outbreak.
The country now houses over 400,000 Venezuelan migrants, according to its immigration agency.
The situation in Venezuela remains extremely grave. The country has entered its fourth year of economic crisis.
According to reports, four out of five Venezuelans live below the poverty line.
The inflation was caused by a sudden drop in fuel prices in 2014, and aided by President Nicolas Maduro's latest decision to remove subsidised fuel for his countrymen.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (M) announced the end of subsidised fuel for his countrymen earlier this month. Image: twitter.com/NicolasMaduro
In a televised speech earlier this month, Maduro said that prices of gasoline must be that of international standards.
"Gasoline must be sold at an international price to stop smuggling to Colombia and the Caribbean," he said.
Presently, Venezuelan citizens enjoy the benefit of subsidized petrol as the country produces fuel.
It helps smugglers buy the fuel in bulk and resell it to other countries at a much higher price.
According to the United Nations, 2.3 million citizens have fled Venezuela since 2014. The exodus is deemed the worst in Latin America's history. Image: UNHCR/Sebastian Castañeda
Praising other countries, Chiara Cardoletti of the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR), said that they have done well to avoid a Europe-like situation.
"What we are seeing is a continent that has opened its doors to people who are fleeing and who need support," she said.
According to her, Colombia had registered more than 450,000 Venezuelans and given them regular status.
United Nations said that more than 870,000 Venezuelans are in Colombia.
However, sounding alert, Joel Millman, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), told reporters: "This is building to a crisis moment that we've seen in other parts of the world, particularly in the Mediterranean. A difficult situation can become a crisis situation very quickly and we have to be prepared."
Image: twitter.com/MichelTemer
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