“Border closure only increased precariousness”: a qualitative analysis of the effects of restrictive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic on Venezuelan’s health and human rights in South America

Abstract

Background In 2010, a political and social crisis pushed thousands of Venezuelans out of their country; today, seven million Venezuelans live abroad. In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, border closure increased and affected specific vulnerable migration flows, such as Venezuelans trying to migrate to Chile through the Northern borders. In this context, there is little evidence of migrants’ health status and needs, their access to health services, and other basic needs (e.g., housing) from a human rights perspective. Therefore, we qualitatively explored the effects of border closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic on Venezuelan migrants’ health and human rights, focusing on access to healthcare in the Northern Chilean border that adjoins Peru and Bolivia. Methods Following a case-study qualitative design, we conducted an ethnography that included participatory observation of relevant sites (e.g., hospitals, main squares, migrant shelters) in Antofagasta, Iquique, and Arica and 30 in-depth interviews with actors in the health sector (n = 7), experts from the non-governmental sector (n = 16), and governmental actors (n = 7) in three large cities close to the Northern border. Results We found four main dimensions: (i) border and migration processes, (ii) specific groups and intersectionality, (iii) barriers to healthcare services, and (iv) regional and local responses to the crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Programs characterized by the presence of healthcare providers in the field were essential to attend to migrants’ health needs at borders. Conclusions Coordination between actors is crucial to implement regional protocols that respond to current migration phenomena and migrants’ health needs. Health policies using a human rights approach are urgently required to respond to migrants’ healthcare needs at borders in South America.

Migration process of Venezuelan women to Brazil: living conditions and use of health services in Manaus and Boa Vista, 2018–2021

“…However, far from deterring migration what the border closure produced was an increase of migrants crossing through irregular paths, called “trochas” [ 9 ]. Displaced women and girls, travelling by trocha is particularly marked by challenges of health, particularly sexual and reproductive health, due to increased risk of for violence, lack of personal and menstrual hygiene, inadequate access to safe, clean, and private toilets, and exposure to sexual violence [ 10 – 12 ].…”

Barriers and facilitators to access sexual and reproductive health services among young migrants in Tarapacá, Chile: a qualitative study

“…In 2020, people born abroad represented 8% of the country’s population [ 1 ], of which around a third were reported to be young people (15-29 years old) [ 2 ]. This figure has likely increased since then, given the large number of people entering the country through non-authorised crossing points during the past 3 years -due to more constrictive laws for migrants to enter the country and the mobility restrictions that were placed during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 3 – 6 ]. Most of these crossing points are located in the northern regions -where the Tarapacá region is located.…”