Icelandic Directorate of Immigration monitors Venezuela situation as deportations continue

The Icelandic Directorate of Immigration is closely monitoring developments in Venezuela but currently assesses that the situation there is not so dangerous that everyone coming from the country is entitled to international protection. Over twenty Venezuelans were deported yesterday.

A group of Venezuelans staged a protest at Keflavik Airport prior to their departure to draw attention to the dangerous conditions they believe await them upon return after being denied international protection in Iceland.

According to Þórhildur Hagalín, the spokesperson for the Directorate, the changed circumstances following Nicolas Maduro’s re-election at the end of July do not justify a universal right to asylum for all Venezuelans. “The Directorate has been closely observing the situation in Venezuela leading up to and following the elections. However, the conduct of the elections and government actions against opposition figures have not led the agency to alter its assessment,” she stated.

She emphasized that while the Directorate believes the general conditions in Venezuela do not require all individuals from there to seek protection, specific personal circumstances may indeed necessitate protection for certain individuals. Following the elections, applications for protection from Venezuela have been rejected based on this unchanged assessment.

This group is the first to return to Venezuela since the elections. The returns, described as voluntary, were not conducted under police operations. However, the individuals felt compelled to accept this assistance to avoid forced deportation and a ban on re-entry into the Schengen Area.