Displaced Venezuelans and the Politics of Asylum

Abstract

Latin America is often referred to as a particularly successful case in refugee protection where, through the 1984 Cartagena Declaration, States have established a tradition of openness, solidarity, and humanitarism. Nevertheless, in practice, the instrument has been unevenly implemented in the region. This has posed consequences to the protection of displaced Venezuelans, who are now the second largest displaced population in the world and often live with precarious statuses. Applying process tracing as a methodology, this paper analyses the case of Brazil, one of the few countries granting asylum to this population, and identifies the drivers which influenced its response.