Colombia: Exiled Venezuelan Journalist Carola Briceño’s Hunger Strike Enters 8th Day, Pleas for Expedited Refugee Status
The Coalition For Women In Journalism expresses solidarity with Carola Briceño, who is facing multiple death threats after exposing corruption in Venezuela
Location: Colombia, Bogotá
Date: August 23, 2023
Journalist Carola Briceño, who is currently in exile in Colombia, has been on a hunger strike for eight days outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) headquarters in Bogotá. Briceño is hoping for support from the UNHCR with her refugee application status at the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Coalition For Women In Journalism expresses solidarity with Briceño, calls on UNHCR to provide assistance, and urges the Colombian government to fulfill its commitment to the Geneva Convention by promptly addressing her situation.
"I went directly to Bogotá, to UNHCR where I have asked for support, but they have denied it to me,” stated Briceño, who went on a hunger strike reaching its eighth day in front of the UNHCR offices.
Briceño, who fled to Colombia a couple of years ago after threats against her life and her family, pleads with the UNHCR to support her refugee application status with the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Colombian authorities compelled Briceño to renounce her Temporary Protection Permit (PPT) earlier so she could request refuge to avoid deportation. Her refugee status, however, has remained uncertain and unresolved since February this year despite her multiple petitions.
This is Briceño’s second hunger strike in front of UNHCR since she arrived in the country. On February 4th, the investigative journalist ended a hunger strike in response to the Colombian authorities promising they would look into her case after initially denying her refugee status.
In 2021, Colombia ensured it would provide ten-year temporary protection statuses to the 1.7 million Venezuelans in the country, more than 37 percent of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Latin America and the Caribbean. At that time, over 50% of Venezuelans in Colombia lacked regular status.
It is unclear why Briceño’s application process is being delayed. The journalist has faced numerous administrative hurdles, resulting in an uncertain immigration status. Despite receiving interest from several Colombian media outlets, she has been unable to secure employment.
Briceño has been living in Colombia in exile after death threats were directed at her following her exposé on the corruption of the Morón Hernández brothers, Santiago José and Ricardo José. The brothers are sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury due to alleged connections with Nicolás Maduro Guerra, son of the Venezuelan president.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands firmly behind Carola Briceño and extends its support to her during this challenging time. We call on UNHCR to promptly address Briceño's situation and urge the Colombian government to honor its commitment to the Geneva Convention, granting her immediate refugee status. It is essential to prioritize the safety and well-being of journalists who face harassment and persecution for their work.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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