The Role of Institutions in Explaining Migration Policy towards Venezuelan Migrants in Colombia and Peru

In the context of the Venezuelan exodus, Latin American states took important steps to regularize migrants through ad hoc mechanisms. Nevertheless, as numbers of migrants and xenophobia sentiments grew, most of the countries ended up imposing restrictions, such as visa entries in Peru and Ecuador. The exception to this regional trend has been Colombia, which have remained open towards Venezuelan migration. In 2021, the Colombian Executive issued a 10-year stay permit that allows Venezuelans to work, stay in the country and opt for a residence visa. This paper compares divergent political responses to the Venezuelan exodus in Peru and Colombia. It analyses the role of institutions in (dis)encouraging regularization mechanisms. The results are drawn on 60 interviews to state actors and members of international organizations (e.g. UNHCR and IOM) in Colombia and Peru, as well as on official documents. The paper argues that established capacities in response to previous internal forced displacements crisis (1990-2016) have shaped the pragmatic response of Colombian migration authorities to the Venezuelan exodus (absent in Peru). This paper, therefore, contributes to the literature explaining the different nature of migration and refugee policies in large-scale displacement contexts, i.e. open or restrictive, and on the role of institutions in favoring regularization mechanisms