This week an international conference in "solidarity" with Venezuelan migrants and their receiving countries was held in Brussels, Belgium, an appointment convened by the European Union and Canada and which invited international organizations and humanitarian organizations. They were all, except Venezuela.
The "detail" did not go unnoticed by Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva, who in his speech asked himself: "How to deal with Venezuelans without Venezuela being present? I am against it, ”he told the international press.
The diplomatic representative questioned the amounts reported in humanitarian aid, as well as the number of Venezuelan migrants that have been reported in different countries. “You have to start talking with Venezuela to establish true censuses,” he said.
He took the opportunity to criticize the policy of the Iván Duque government on Venezuela, which he ignored for years, making the situation of the common borders worsen. “Of course we are concerned that we have more than two thousand kilometers of border with Venezuela and that all this time it has been unknown, as if it did not exist. And meanwhile, what happened to the border population? Hunger, the passage of contraband, drug trafficking, lack of authority. All this has to be put back together, not only in Colombia,” Leyva said.
deaf dialogue
As a result of the international meeting in Brussels, which concluded this Friday, those summoned decided to allocate 807 million euros in humanitarian aid for Venezuelan refugees and migrants, as announced by the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic.
"We have once again put the focus on the crisis that the Venezuelan people are facing," said the European representative, who at no time made reference to the blockade that several countries still maintain against Venezuela.
Lenarcic called for a "sustainable solution to this humanitarian and political crisis" which, according to the figures they manage, has caused 7 million Venezuelan "refugees" and this happens, according to the commissioner, through "a political dialogue" between the Government of President Nicolás Maduro and the opposition.
They insisted on asking for "free and fair" elections in the Caribbean country, but at no time did they express the possibility of establishing a dialogue with Caracas, as suggested by Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva.
This news has several readings. First, the position of Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva is excellent regarding the absence of Venezuela on an issue that directly concerns him, such as that of Venezuelan migrants. When he questions the figures used by the EU and Canada for Venezuelan migrants, his frankness is commendable. Although they did not take him into account when he said "I oppose", of course his words were captured in the minds of many people. Secondly, this situation of the bulging numbers of Venezuelan migrants has a reason and it is the humanitarian aid money that supposedly goes to these migrants. A good amount of it goes to the countries that receive them. Which means that it is a tremendous hypocrisy to have that concern the countries of the EU and Canada. They dispatch and turn around! In addition, it is significant and symbolic to speak as they did about the economic and political crisis in Venezuela as the cause of said migration, and on the other hand to call for "free and fair" elections and demand that there be a dialogue between the government of President. Nicolás Maduro and the opposition when there have been on several occasions and the opposition always signs something that it does not comply with later. It must also be emphasized that the notorious and confessed fact of the sanctions imposed by the US and Europe on Venezuela is not mentioned anywhere. I confess because there are two ex-US government secretaries who, in the publication of their respective books, openly confess all the tricks and malicious intent of that nation by imposing an economic blockade and unilateral measures against Venezuela. In short, I can infer that Venezuela is seen as a business for the whole world.