Institutional Discrimination and the Politicization of Migration: The Case of the Colombia–Venezuela Border

In this article, the author presents the migratory phenomenon at the Colombia–Venezuela border in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The article is based on many sources, including presidential addresses, statements, decrees, and press releases. The author argues how humanitarian assistance has been based on political maneuvering by the governments of Colombia and Venezuela, which constitutes discriminatory practices against Venezuelan migrants. The paper finally points out how this situation has aggravated the migration crisis, characterized by serious violations of fundamental human rights of the Venezuelan migrant population.
Keywords: Venezuelan migration, Colombia, Venezuela, migration policies, COVID-19