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Venezuelans block the bridge between Ecuador and Colombia, following the migration restrictions decided by Quito in August, in Tulcan, August 26, 2019. REUTERS / Daniel Tapia

While nearly 1.7 million Venezuelans have crossed the Ecuadorian border, only 115,000 have a visa. At the request of Bogota, Quito revised part of its migration policy, which was hardened on August 26 with the requirement of a humanitarian visa. Ecuador now issues a transit permit to clear borders.

With our correspondent in Quito, Eric Samson

Quito has just authorized the passage on its territory of migrants with a visa for third countries, for example Peru or Chile. A free transit permit will be granted at the border and Venezuelans will have ten days to cross the country.

A first answer

According to Ecuadorian Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo, this transit permit is not yet available at the border, as Quito is working on the details of the measure. This decision is in any case a response to the Colombian People's Advocate, who on September 8th described as " disrespect " the hardening of the migration policies of Ecuador and Peru.

The imposition on August 26th by Quito of a humanitarian visa has certainly diminished the official passage of Venezuelan migrants , but they have not disappeared: few could afford to return to Bogota or Caracas, to apply for a visa to the Ecuadorian Consulate.

Clandestine passage

Some have certainly crossed the border illegally and others decided to stay in Colombia, a country that already hosts more than 1.5 million and does not want to be the only one to carry the weight of a massive migration that does not mine to decrease.

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