By Luis Jaime Acosta
ARAUQUITA, Colombia Mar 28 (Reuters) – Colombian health authorities detected the first four positive cases of COVID-19 in three of the shelters where thousands of Venezuelan refugees remain, who fled the operations of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces against groups illegal armed groups, the municipal mayor said on Sunday.
Hundreds of Venezuelans continue to arrive daily in Colombia, aggravating the humanitarian crisis that is registered in 18 makeshift shelters, forcing the national, departmental and municipal governments to coordinate efforts with international organizations such as the United Nations Agency for Refugees (UNHCR). .
“The first crisis we faced was the humanitarian crisis due to the conflict situation in Venezuela,” Arauquita Mayor Etelivar Torres told Reuters.
“But we are already experiencing a new crisis that we knew could happen, this health crisis is beginning to appear with the COVID cases that we hope will be controlled quickly and that it will not overwhelm us,” added the official who revealed that the positives were detected in 128 tests processed.
Arauquita, with 45,000 inhabitants, has so far registered 504 cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.
The massive displacement began a week ago after Venezuelan military personnel launched an offensive by air and land against illegal armed groups in the municipality of La Victoria, located in Apure state.
The refugees accused their country’s military of abuses, including killing civilians and looting homes, but Venezuelan Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino López on Saturday denied allegations of human rights violations, while the Public Ministry announced an investigation.
Torres assured that the food supply is the first need to attend to the refugees, in addition to the deficit of tents, mats, medicines and cleaning utensils.
The mayor revealed that, although so far 4,900 refugees from Venezuela have been registered, the number is higher because many remain in the homes of friends and family.
“We were not prepared for something like this,” Torres said. “The normalization of the situation will depend on whether the origin of the problem is resolved, that is to say that the confrontation between irregular armed groups and the forces of the Venezuelan State cease.”
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) began setting up 100 tents on a soccer field to house some 500 people, while the Red Cross provides medical assistance in the shelters.
“There are many needs and we are trying to respond jointly with the authorities at the national, departmental and municipal levels,” said Roberto Mignone, UNHCR’s emergency coordinator for the Americas, who anticipated that the emergency will last for several weeks.
Although the refugees say they long to return to their homes in Venezuela, they warn that they will only do so if the armed clashes are stopped.
“It is scary to go to Venezuela. It hurts a lot because I had not experienced something like this. It is mistrustful, you feel indignation,” said Rudy Caile, a 28-year-old housewife who fled with her husband and two young children. (Report by Luis Jaime Acosta, edited by Nelson Bocanegra)
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