Attachments
Situation
• In December, with support from the Netherlands, the Aruba government extended its border closure with Venezuela until at least April 2025, citing alarming conditions in border regions, political tensions, and the contested Venezuelan elections.
• Dominican Republic’s National Migration Institute (INM, for its Spanish acronym) organized the "Seminario Internacional: Flujos Globales de Movilidad Humana y Políticas Migratorias" from 16-18 October 2024, featuring panels and discussions on global migration challenges and opportunities, with participation from international experts, multilateral organizations, and government representatives. The continued closure of Venezuela’s embassy in the Dominican Republic caused difficulties for Venezuelans, including the inability to access essential consular services (passport renewals, visa applications, birth registration). The ongoing lack of direct flights between the two countries further strained family reunifications and returns to Venezuela.
• In December, Guyana authorities protested against Venezuela's construction of a bridge on Ankoko Island, citing violations of its sovereignty. Venezuela acknowledged the presence of tens of thousands of economic migrants in Guyana and noted the additional costs to the Guyanese government. Media sources reported a political controversy in Guyana, with the opposition accusing President Irfaan Ali of stranding Warrau Indigenous individuals in Georgetown after inviting them for aid—a claim the President denied as political misrepresentation. Despite government-provided humanitarian assistance, tensions grew as the group returned to Georgetown, coinciding with election-related activities in Indigenous communities.
• On 8 November, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of National Security announced that the work permit exemption established under the Migrant Registration Framework was extended to 31 December 2025. The exemption, which was first implemented in 2019, allowed Venezuelans to live and work in the country. The extension only applies to Venezuelans who were present in the country in 2019 and participated in that registration exercise.
• Local media reported that the Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) rescued 11 Venezuelan women, two of whom were identified as potential victims of trafficking. The suspects, all locals, were arrested.