Hollywood icon Angelina Jolie has called on the international community to help the 20,000 Venezuelan children who are at risk of being left without basic citizenship rights.
The 44-year-old actress, who was visiting refugees forced to leave their homes along the Colombian-Venezuelan border, called on the western world to provide more support to those fleeing the humanitarian crisis in their homeland.
The special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who is on a two-day trip to meet Venezuelan migrants, also met with with Colombian President Ivan Duque in Cartagena.
The visit comes a month after a failed attempted to overthrow President Maduro by the opposition leader Juan Guaido.
Actress Angelina Jolie, who is special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, meets with Ester Barboza, 17, in Riohacha, Colombia. The young girl fled Venezuela with her family due to lack of medical care
The actress visits children who have been forced to flee Venezuela. The visit comes a month after a failed attempted to seize power by the opposition leader Juan Guaido
Speaking in Colombia the actress said: ‘I’ve seen for myself the strain being placed on the schools and hospitals and local services, but I have also seen the inspiring humanity being shown by local communities.
‘The President and I spoke of the risk of statelessness for more than 20,000 Venezuelan children, his commitment to always helping children.
‘We discussed the search for durable solutions for the internationally displaced and refugees in the context of the Colombian peace process.
‘Above all, we agreed on the urgent need of the international community to give more support to Colombia, Peru and Ecuador who are bearing the brunt of this crisis.’
She added: ‘So, I am hopeful and optimistic about Colombia’s ability to weather these challenges and to emerge even stronger.
‘And I will certainly do my part to urge the international community to give support necessary to help achieve the long-term peace and stability of this very beautiful country.’
Jolie (pictured with Colombian refugee Yoryanis Ojeda, 35) is on a two-day trip to meet Venezuelan migrants
The parents of Venezuelan children born abroad often struggle to register their baby’s birth, either because they do not have access to an ever-shrinking number of Venezuelan consulates or because they do not have migration papers.
Four million Venezuelan refugees and migrants have fled the economic and humanitarian crisis in their homeland, according to statistics from the United Nations.
Speaking at a press conference the Academy Award-winner said: ‘The president and I spoke of the risk of statelessness for more than 20,000 Venezuelan children, his commitment to always helping children.
‘We agreed on the urgent need for the international community to give more support to Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, who are bearing the brunt of this crisis.’
Angelina Jolie speaks to people in Riohacha, Colombia , during a two-day visit in the country
In April Guiado announced the start of Operation Libertad to oust Maduro, hoping the military was about to defect to his side, but the effort failed (pictured, street protests)
The move led to a series of clashes on the streets and was seen as a sign of Moscow’s weakening support for Venezuela
Following the visit, the Colombian president, whose country has received 1.3 million refugees from Venezuela, said he hoped Jolie’s visit would raise attention to the seriousness of the migration crisis.
Jolie’s visit comes as citizens of the country continue to flee to neighbouring Colombia where the government and aid agencies have scrambled to provide housing, food and healthcare.
The UN estimates around four million Venezuelan refugees have fled their homeland since 2014 to Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
In April violent clashes erupted in the country after US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido tried and failed to oust President Maduro.
Guaido, whose effort was dubbed Operacion Libertad, had urged local military to rise up against the government in a video.
The operation, which translates to Operation Freedom, was unsuccessful and instead saw hundreds of rebellion protests erupt on the streets of Caracas.
Locals cheer at a rally with Venezuela’s opposition leader and self proclaimed President Juan Guaido in Charallave
President Nicolas Maduro during the closing ceremony of the Latin American Meeting of Local Governments and Participatory Democracy in Caracas