Venezuelan citizens arrive to immigration in the border area of Huaquillas, Ecuador, on 25 August 2018. EPA-EFE/José Jácome

Ecuador uses red wristbands to prioritize transfer of Venezuelans to Peru

Ecuadorian police on the country's border with Colombia on Saturday gave red wristbands to Venezuelan immigrants considered vulnerable, such as pregnant women and women with children, to prioritize their transfer in buses to Peru, EFE verified.

The measure comes under the "humanitarian corridor" created by Ecuador to expedite the transfer of Venezuelan migrants from its northern border with Colombia to Peru, which on Saturday started demanding passports before allowing access to its territory.

"The wristband is to give priority to us, women with children and those pregnant, and also so that they give us the Andean card and then board a direct bus to Peru," 23-year-old Francheska Mota, wearing a red band on her left wrist, told EFE.

The woman from Caracas was traveling with her 14-month old baby and entered Ecuador using her identity card.

"The journey is quite difficult, even more so with children, especially here because of the cold. Changes in the climate affect them, they get sick," she said.

Young and adult men and women with legible documents and who were traveling alone without health problems received blue wristbands.

Several Venezuelans told EFE they were told by immigration officials that they were approved entry, allowing them to stay in the country for a period of 180 days.

On Friday, a court in Quito annulled a government regulation demanding passports from Venezuelan immigrants, and gave the foreign ministry 45 days to present a humanitarian contingency plan.

Following this decision, the government announced that Venezuelans could enter using a valid identity card that was recognized by the government of Ecuador.

Chief Ombudsman Gina Benavides, who managed to get interim relief against the requirement for passports, told EFE Saturday that they would return to the courts next week against Quito's decision demanding validated documents from Venezuelans.