By THE PULSE NEWS MEXICO STAFF

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced in Brazil on Tuesday, June 26, that his government will provide nearly $10 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Venezuelans who have fled their country due to the manmade crisis ion the South American nation.

This funding for the Venezuelan people will include a contribution to the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s regional response to the Venezuela crisis, support for the UN World Food Program’s emergency response efforts for Venezuelans who have recently arrived in Ecuador, and other humanitarian aid to Venezuelans and host communities in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and other countries throughout the region.

U.S. assistance will help provide displaced Venezuelans with emergency food assistance, safe drinking water, hygiene supplies, shelter, protection from violence and exploitation, and work and education opportunities, in coordination with other humanitarian organizations and government partners.

This additional $10 million brings total U.S. humanitarian assistance to the Venezuela crisis since the beginning of fiscal year 2017 to nearly $31 million.

Complementing this assistance is $18.5 million in bilateral funding to support displaced Venezuelans in Colombia who have fled the crisis in their country.

The United States is coordinating with the government of Colombia to respond rapidly to the needs of Venezuelans, Colombians and others who have fled Venezuela.

In a U.S. Embassy press release announcing the added funds for Venezuelans, the Donald Trump administration stated that Washington remains concerned about the struggle Venezuelan citizens face every day to meet their families’ basic needs.

“As a hemisphere, we must increase our support for the wellbeing of the Venezuelan people and the restoration of their democracy,” Pence said.

“Further, we call on the Maduro regime to immediately allow international aid, including food and medicine, to reach Venezuela at a sufficient scale to meet growing humanitarian needs.”