2020-11 Factsheet - Venezuela

< Oct 2020

November 2020

UNHCR, 2020

The cluster, through partner organisations, benefited 22,894 people (55% female and 45% male) in November who received assistance to improve their shelter conditions, access to energy/electricity, and/or received assistance through NFI distributions. Part of the assistance provided was channelled towards individuals and families affected by severe flooding.
Several municipalities in border states (including Zulia, Táchira and Apure) and other areas (including Carabobo) were affected by recent heavy rains which led to significant flooding and the affectation of residential areas. Hundreds of families were evacuated from their homes as a preventive measure. Landslides also affected transportation by road.
Colombia shut its borders back in March this year. According to Colombia’s border control agency, Colombia Migration, land and river crossings with Venezuela will continue to be closed from 1 December 2020 through 16 January 2021. This may lead to an increase in the number of informal border crossings. Irregular border crossings are frequently used with pendular movements and ensuring temporary shelter for vulnerable individuals is a priority.

In Táchira, the heavy rains led to the overflow of various rivers and mud and landslides on roads connecting municipalities.
In Zulia, the distribution of core relief items in close cooperation with the State authorities remains as a priority due to the significant flooding reported in Sinamaica, Sierra de Perijá and Guajira municipalities.
In terms of health, due to the heavy rains that affected some communities in Apure through November, there has been an increase in endemic diseases in the population.

Through 2020, a total of 439,313 individuals (57% female and 43% male) benefited from a better access to safe shelter, energy and/or basic NFIs in eleven states and Distrito Capital, including Táchira (244,627), Zulia (83,956), Bolívar (23,488), Apure (22,878), Distrito Capital (18,444), and Miranda (16,964).
Activities targeting temporary shelter arrangements have reached over 57 Puntos de Atención Social Integral (PASI) throughout the country (with most of them in border states) other forms of temporary shelters, including churches, with 90,618 individuals who were supported with temporary shelter and NFI distributions. Capacity building activities to strengthen both coordination and management capacities were organised jointly and have reached 594 staff members working in PASI.
Activities targeting health facilities, state led institutions and community centres have reached 301,713 individuals, including 46 health establishments; some of them with RHUs and Rubb-halls for isolation and triage.
Other activities targeted prioritised communities, reaching 46,982 vulnerable individuals in Amazonas, Apure, Barinas, Bolívar, Distrito Capital, Falcón, La Guaira, Miranda, Táchira, Zulia, Carabobo and Mérida states, including the distribution of a total of 5,832 solar lamps, benefiting 17,542 individuals, NFI distributions and habitat kits benefiting 29,440 individuals.

Commercial flights to and from Venezuela have increased in frequency but fuel availability remains intermittent for civil society and organisations throughout most of the country, which jeopardizes their ability to reach affected populations.
Still, the limited funding has had a negative impact on the response capacity by partner organisations, jeopardising the timeliness and effectiveness of the response.