Statement

Venezuela: Focusing on humanitarian needs in highly polarized environment

Caracas-Geneva 2 February 2019

The International Committee of the Red Cross has been working in Venezuela for many years, focusing on meeting the humanitarian needs in the country. We are present on the ground, close to the Venezuelan people and working independently and in support of the Venezuelan Red Cross.

The current humanitarian situation in Venezuela and the recent developments have led to a highly politicized environment, which proves challenging for humanitarian organizations to operate in.

In this context, the ICRC wants to emphasize that meeting the most-urgent needs of the Venezuelan people remains its priority. Our commitment is to continue increasing our response, strictly following our principles of neutrality and independence.

As we know from experience working in different and highly complex contexts, the ICRC´s posture of neutrality pays off, as it enables our teams in the field to access affected populations and respond to their needs whilst reminding all stakeholders that this is the priority.

Our concerns are strictly humanitarian, and our main objective is and will remain meeting people's most pressing needs, away from political agendas.

Click here for more information about our activities in Venezuela