WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2020) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States is allotting an additional $348 million for refugees who have fled Venezuela.
"I am glad today to announce an additional $348 million in humanitarian assistance to help Venezuelans who fled [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro's brutality," Pompeo said on Friday.
The secretary of state said $30 million of the allocated sum will go toward those Venezuelans who have found refuge in Brazil.
Pompeo noted that the additional funds bring the United States' contribution toward the Venezuelan crisis to $1.5 billion.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, 4.5 million people have fled Venezuela amid the political and economic instability there.
Venezuela is in the midst of pronounced political crisis, which began last year after Juan Guaido, then head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, proclaimed himself an interim president of Venezuela in a bid to oust reelected Maduro from power.
Tensions between the United States and Venezuela reached new heights after the United States recognized Guaido as the president of Venezuela. Russia, China and a host of other nations recognize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as the only legitimate leader of the country.
