Refugee crisis in Venezuela and regional cooperation: the impact of Brazil, Chile and Colombia policies.

The Venezuelan migration crisis has been challenging the South American region's migratory and legal asylum systems since its beginning. In terms of state infrastructure, the region's countries were not prepared to receive this number of people fleeing the deterioration of the Venezuelan state due to its economic and social crisis, leading to a systematic violation of human rights. The present research analyses, in the first place, the drivers of the Venezuelan migration movement, particularly the economic and social crisis, and human rights violations. In the second place, it explores the main international and regional legal and policy standards embraced by the region, which could apply to the present migratory movement, focusing on the regional responses provided in the last years. Lastly, this study analyzes the individual country legal frameworks and policy standards of Brazil, Chile, and Colombia, including their human rights impacts in practice. The outcome shows the lack of a common regional approach in practice, emphasizing the individual country policies. It also indicates the significant presence of an initial general welcoming approach and creativity in providing pathways for the regularization of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the region, affected by the continuity of new arrivals and the pandemic. Additionally, it highlights the non-prioritization of the asylum system by governments and Venezuelans, showing a trend in the region where most beneficiaries have opted for other forms of regularization because of celerity and practicality. This situation represents a challenge subject to political instability and not providing integral and specific protection.