Thank you for appearing today before this committee. Venezuela is a very important topic.
I'm very familiar with Venezuela on many fronts, and this situation has been going on for a long time. It did not start with Nicolás Maduro; it started with Hugo Chávez in the past. He established the groundwork, dividing society, doing all kinds of identity politics, if you wish—rich versus poor—and created a welfare state. They both drove the country out of money. Their currency is down. The Venezuela we once knew, the rich and comfortable well-to-do country in the region, is now probably one of the poorest in the world.
That situation is definitely not just affecting Venezuela, but also the region. We see similar situations with Syrian refugees, as well as in Bangladesh and Myanmar, with people running from a less fortunate country. Right now, Bangladesh is in need of help and assistance for over a million people. That is also affecting the socio-economic state of the country.
You mentioned the three million Venezuelans who have fled their country: one million to Colombia, half a million to Peru, about 200,000 to Ecuador, and probably about 150,000 to Argentina and Brazil. Many of these countries are not doing great economically. That could leave them also in a dire situation, trying to absorb and look after the Venezuelans as a neighbour country or as a country in the region.
Is it a concern that the increase of Venezuelan refugees is going to leave a burden on the mentioned countries? Has it been taken into consideration in your plan, or in the international community's plan, to deal with the impact on the host countries when it comes to the three million people, knowing that it could take between 10 and 15 years on average before the people come back from the refugee settlement?
I would like to have some feedback from you on this situation, and the impact of these refugees on the host countries.