Latin America in Fresh Crisis Talks as Millions Flee Venezuela

(Bloomberg) -- Latin American governments will meet Wednesday to coordinate their response to region’s largest-ever migration crisis as Venezuela’s economic collapse causes millions to flee.

Regional governments including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, met in Quito in September, where they pledged to help arrivals get permanent residence.

Speaking in Bogota on Tuesday, Colombia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carlos Trujillo reiterated his government’s opposition to military intervention to overthrow the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. About 1 million Venezuelans are living in Colombia, according to a report last month by Human Rights Watch.

Separately, Ecuador’s government said it would extend until Nov. 30 a “humanitarian emergency” in the most affected areas, including regions on the Colombian and Peruvian borders, and the capital Quito. Ecuador expelled Venezuela’s ambassador this month, after Venezuela accused Quito of lying about the extent of migration. The two countries were close allies until relations broke down this year.

To contact the reporters on this story: Oscar Medina in Bogota at omedinacruz@bloomberg.net;Stephan Kueffner in Quito at skueffner1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Matthew Bristow at mbristow5@bloomberg.net

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