UN: millions of Venezuelans are refugees

More than three and a half million Venezuelans who've fled their homeland over the past five years are to be officially considered refugees, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has announced.

It said they were being added to the total tally of refugees worldwide.

The announcement coincided with World Refugee Day on Friday.

The agency asked host governments to give refugees and asylum seekers the same benefits that it would grant to their own citizens.

Francisco Paez is one of the migrants from Venezuela.

He arrived in Peru with his wife and daughter, having escaped Venezuela's imploding economy.

The coronavirus pandemic means he hasn't been able to find a job.

The family live in one small room and survive on their savings, plus whatever they can get from acting as street performers.

But Paez says he is better off as a refugee in Peru than the life he would have in Venezuela today.

"As refugees we feel more protected and less worried," he said.

According to Peruvian authorities, more than 820,000 Venezuelans have settled in Peru since 2016. More than half have sought refugee status.

The UNHCR spokesperson in Brazil, Luis Fernando Godinho, said the Venezuelans needed protection - and therefore they should be considered refugees.

The UNHCR classification also cover thousands of Central Americans who crossed into Mexico early last year.

Most made the journey hoping for a better life in the United States but many were escaping real life-threatening situations in their own countries.

51-year-old Roque Moreno left Honduras 14 months ago.

He had to abandon his home and his business in his home town of Tegucigalpa because he was suffering of extortion and threats against his life.

Just two weeks ago Roque finally received his asylum status and residence card.

The UNHCR said fleeing violence was sufficient reason for a migrant to be considered a refugee.