United Nations: 2.3 Million People Have Fled Venezuela

The United Nations announced on Tuesday that approximately 2.3 million people have fled the crisis-stricken country of Venezuela over the past three years, seeking refuge in Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru. According to Associated Press, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, told reporters that those who have fled Venezuela represent about 7% of the country's population of 32.8 million, with hunger and lack of food being the main reasons for their departure. Dujarric stated that around 1.3 million of those who fled Venezuela suffered from malnutrition. The oil-rich country is facing a deep economic crisis, with severe shortages of food and medicine. The International Monetary Fund has predicted that Venezuela's inflation rate will reach one million percent this year. Nicolás Maduro, the socialist president of Venezuela, accuses Western countries of waging an economic war against Venezuela and being responsible for the economic crisis. Maduro was re-elected as president in May of this year, although several countries did not recognize the election results. Dujarric noted that the severe shortage of medicine has led to a significant deterioration in hospital conditions. He added that, according to UN officials, over 100,000 HIV patients are at risk of not having access to necessary medications. He also mentioned that diseases previously eradicated, such as measles, malaria, tuberculosis, and diphtheria, have 'returned and are on the rise.' According to an April report from the International Organization for Migration, the trend of people fleeing Venezuela has significantly increased in recent years; in 2017, about 1.6 million people fled, compared to approximately 700,000 in 2015.