Bolsonaro plans ‘welcome operation’ in southern Brazil for economic migrants from impoverished Argentina – newspaper

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Brazilian president suggested on Wednesday (28) that the crisis in neighboring Argentina has worsened with the leadership of the leftist head of government Alberto Fernández, writes Metropoles newspaper in its latest report.

The federal government is planning an ‘Operation Welcome’ in Rio Grande do Sul, in which the country will accept migrants from neighboring countries. The operation is intended principally for Argentines, although the state also borders Uruguay.

The “plan” was presented by President Jair Bolsonaro in a talk with supporters Wednesday outside the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia.

According to Bolsonaro, the left-wing Argentine government has exacerbated the crisis in the country. Thus, Brazil would plan the operation “in advance of the problem.”

The Brazilian leader compared the situation in Argentina to the reality in Venezuela, which has experienced deep political and economic instability since the end of Hugo Chávez’s government in 2016.

“Look at what is happening in South America,” Bolsonaro began when he said he warns that Argentina could have problems with leftist governments starting in 2019.

“It should serve as an example. If the left returns to Argentina, we will have a problem. That’s what I was talking about in 2019. You don’t need a crystal ball to know what will happen,” he argued.

Since February 2018, Brazil has maintained Operation Acolhida (Operation Welcome) in northern Roraima state, where emigrants coming from Venezuela are received. In practice, the military carries out border security, houses immigrants, and interns some refugees.

The operation now being planned in the country’s south with migrants from Argentina is to be organized similarly.

Argentina is led by leftist President Alberto Fernández. Elected in 2019, he is one of the leaders of the progressive coalition Frente de Todos, which combines sectors of Peronism and Kirchnerism, including parties of the center-left and left-wing.

Since his victory, Fernández and Bolsonaro have stayed on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Due to the rivalry, the Brazilian president refused to attend the inauguration of the Argentine president in December 2019.

Argentina is in the midst of a deep economic crisis that has exacerbated poverty and the devaluation of the country’s currency. Nearly half of the population of formerly wealthy Argentina now live below the poverty line. Children and young people are struck by poverty.

In addition, the government is suffering from uncertainty about attempts to rebalance public budgets.

Source: Metropoles