Venezuela: Situation Report, March - April 2024

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Between January and April, 1.1 million people (58% women) were reached by the humanitarian response across the 24 states of the country.
  • As of 31 May, the humanitarian response in Venezuela had mobilized US$71.9 million, equivalent to 8.1% of the funds required for the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).
  • Gianluca Rampolla, Humanitarian Coordinator, visited Tachira state to further strengthen the humanitarian response.
  • The UN and the Venezuelan Red Cross signed a Letter of Understanding to strengthen joint work.

Situation Overview

As of April 2024, the humanitarian response reached 1.1 million people (58% women) in 278 municipalities across the 24 states of Venezuela. The following clusters reached the highest number of people: Food Security and Livelihoods (532,000 people), Health (447,000 people), and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (180,000 people).

There was a sharp increase in the number of people reached in March and April compared to the same period last year when 990,000 people were reached, as reported in the March-April 2023 SITREP.

Local Coordination Forums, which include national and international humanitarian organizations, aim to bring information and services to the communities. For example, the first multi-service fair was held in April in Merida state. Participants attended talks on sexual and reproductive health, awareness-raising on gender-based violence, and psychosocial counselling. Similarly, a multi-service event was held in Zulia state, in the Sinamaica Lagoon. Jointly, with the Mayor's Office of La Guajira municipality, 480 people, including 383 children of the Añú ethnic group, received primary medical care. Additionally, organizations shared information on protection issues and gender-based violence. A similar activity was conducted in the municipality of Cruz Salmerón, in Sucre state, engaging the community of Los Cachicatos through awareness-raising and various other activities, along with a series of health services.

The Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) visited Táchira state between 4 and 6 April, and met with the Governor, mayors of border municipalities (Bolívar and Pedro María Ureña), and the bishop of the state. HC also participated in the Local Coordination Forum of Tachira. Discussions centered on strengthening coordination between authorities, UN agencies, and humanitarian organizations and focusing the response on focalized municipalities within the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan.

Following the flooding caused by heavy rains in Amazonas on 9 April, OCHA, via the Amazonas Local Coordination Forum, coordinated the response with state authorities and the humanitarian community. Damages were assessed and response activities, such as kit delivery, were conducted in cooperation with WFP, UNHCR, ACTED, and Action Against Hunger.

On 25 April, the United Nations and the Venezuelan Red Cross signed a Letter of Understanding, reaffirming their commitment to work together and strengthen humanitarian response and sustainable development. The collaboration seeks to establish effective synergies in areas of mutual interest, aligning with the work of the UN Country Team in Venezuela and the efforts of the Venezuelan Red Cross, focusing on areas such as knowledge management, capacity building, humanitarian response, and advocacy.