'Curaçao refrains Venezuelans from being entitled to asylum'

amsterdam - The government of Curaçao denies refugee Venezuelans the international right to protection. That is what Amnesty International says in a report published on Monday.

According to the human rights organization, it is impossible for Venezuelans to apply for asylum on the island. Moreover, Venezuelans without residence status are detained in detention centers and police cells under very worrying conditions before they are deported. For example, there is overcrowded cells, a lack of privacy, poor hygiene and insufficient beds. Amnesty says that both Curaçao and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have the responsibility to deal with these violations.

Curaçao, which is only 70 kilometers from Venezuela, is like other countries in the region a refuge for Venezuelans who flee the increasingly violent crisis in their country. It is estimated that there are between 5,000 and 15,000 Venezuelans without residence status on the island. Although the government in Curaçao claims to have an asylum procedure, according to Amnesty, it turns out to be virtually impossible to apply for asylum in practice. This is in conflict with the international right to protection. Venezuelans, according to Amnesty, have no choice but to live illegally on the island.

'We are deeply concerned about the lack of protection of Venezuelan asylum seekers and refugees on Curaçao. The fact that they are locked up under terrible circumstances as standard is very worrying, 'said Erika Guevara-Rosas, director Amnesty International Americas.