| Popis: |
Since 2013, Venezuela has been enduring one the worst socioeconomic depressions in its region. Instability has arisen and led approximately 4.6 million citizens of that State to emigrate, more prominently to nearby countries. Considering that displaced Venezuelans tend to fall outside the scope of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the UNHCR has recommended that States should use the 1984 Cartagena Declaration criteria for refugee status determination (RSD) procedures. Despite incorporating that instrument’s ‘expanded’ refugee definition in its domestic legislation, initially, Brazil opted to welcome displaced Venezuelans solely via temporary residence visas. However, since 2019, the country has started to recognize Venezuelans as refugees. This research will investigate which factors, actors, and conditions could have influenced the recent change in RSD practice in Brazil. The paper will argue that, when acting in concert, international actors were able to frame the situation in Venezuela as one of massive violations of human rights and recommend the recognition of the refugee status of its nationals as the most adequate response in Brazil. |
