Blinken Discusses Irregular Migration With Colombian, Brazilian Ministers - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th October, 2021) The US secretary of state in separate phone calls with his Colombian and Brazilian counterparts discussed irregular migration in the region ahead of an upcoming ministerial meeting on migration in Bogota, State Department spokesperson Ned price said on Tuesday.

"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Colombian Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucía Ramírez to discuss the upcoming Migration Ministerial scheduled for October 20 in Bogotá, Colombia," Price said in a press release.

During the talk with Ramirez, Blinken welcomed granting protective status to nearly 2 million migrants from Venezuela and underscored the continued US commitment to support safe, orderly and humane migration across the region, the release stated.

A phone conversation with Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Franca centered around "the unprecedented irregular migration movements throughout the hemisphere" and "shared goals" for the upcoming meeting in Bogota.

Blinken also underscored Brazil's leadership in supporting vulnerable migrants, including Haitians and Venezuelans, according to the release.

Both Venezuela and Haiti are engulfed in economic and political crises with thousands of people attempting to flee the countries in search of a better life. In Venezuela, a crisis broke out in January 2019 when, after disputing incumbent Nicolas Maduro's re-election in May 2018, opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president.

In Haiti, a devastating earthquake in August killed over 2,000 people and caused significant damage. In addition, the country is facing a prolonged period of poverty, gang violence, and political crisis following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July.