The Venezuelan NGO Fundaredes denounced this Wednesday that migrants are “easy prey” for human trafficking at the border between the Caribbean country and Colombia, where, he assured, they become victims of violence in various forms.
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“Recruitment, exploitation, human trafficking, modern slavery, prostitution and extortion are some of the situations of violence to which they are subjected on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, Venezuelan migrants (…) by human traffickers,” said the NGO in its latest report on migration.
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The report, which is entitled “The figure of the ‘coyote’ is reinvented on the Colombian-Venezuelan border to attract migrants”, concluded that young men and women, for the most part, are “co-opted to join the ranks of armed organizations such as the National Liberation Army (ELN), the FARC dissidents, the Bolivarian Liberation Front and even the Aragua Train (Venezuelan criminal gang).”
Fundaredes added that, given the increase in the number of women crossing the border with their children and families, a new irregular presence of “coyotes” (people traffickers) has emerged at the border crossings, which represents “great and serious risks “for migrants.
This figure of the ‘coyote’ -he maintained-, known on the border between Mexico and the United States, has its “version” on the borders of the states of Táchira and Apure with Colombia, offering “its services to migrants to transport them to their country of destination”.
Added to armed conflicts is the fact that it is used by these organizations to capture people who end up in the hands of networks of trafficking, exploitation and slavery.
The organization explained that the Apure-Arauca border corridor is one of the main migratory routess, despite the fact that, between 2021 and so far this year, it has been the scene of clashes between various guerrilla groups and the Venezuelan Army.
The NGO added that the “desperation” of families to “escape” the crisis has encouraged the proliferation of “criminal organizations dedicated to human trafficking, child trafficking, sexual exploitation, modern slavery and labor exploitation.” .
He called on the Venezuelan Attorney General’s Office to investigate violations of the rights of citizens who migrate “forced”, as well as disappearances, extortion and human trafficking.
EFE
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