Brazilian Government to Increase Number of Municipalities Hosting Venezuelans

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The federal government aims to increase the number of Brazilian municipalities hosting Venezuelan migrants and refugees. A protocol of intent was signed on Wednesday, October 2nd during a ceremony at the Palácio do Planalto, and was attended by nine ministers of state, the president of the National Confederation of Municipalities (CNM) and representatives of three United Nations (UN) agencies that deal with population (UNFPA), migration (IOM) and refugees (UNHCR).

The government’s purpose is to embrace the reception and improve opportunities for the integration of Venezuelan migrants in Brazil. This year until August, Brazil counted 14,643 refugees and migrants from the neighboring country in over 250 municipalities. More than 9,000 of them entered Brazil this year.

According to the Presidential Chief of Staff, Onyx Lorenzoni, Venezuelans’ emigration “is the largest diaspora in Latin America”. The UN reports that more than four million people have left Venezuela since 2016. Of these, 115,000 have sought asylum in Brazil and another 90,000 have requested temporary residence.

The protocol provides that municipalities joining the hosting campaign will determine the number of people and families they will be able to accept as well as the profile of the migrants, according to the economic potential of the cities. Each municipality, together with the federal government, will set a date for accommodating migrants. It will be up to the federal government to conduct health evaluations, inoculate and provide immediate medical assistance to Venezuelans.

The government’s initiative aims to reduce the concentration of Venezuelans in Roraima State (which has 13 temporary shelters) and create work and income opportunities elsewhere, according to Deputy Chief of Staff Antônio José Barreto de Araújo Jr.  According to him, although the state of Roraima “is welcoming” there is “insufficient structure for the number of people entering the border. Keeping them there has a very high cost”.

Araújo Jr. points out that solidarity and sheltering strategies must be economically and fiscally sustainable. He said that the aim is to associate the best hosting model with the lowest possible cost to ensure that new opportunities for Venezuelans are materialized in any region of Brazil.

The resident coordinator of the UN system in Brazil, Niky Fabiancic, present at the ceremony, praised the government’s initiative.

“The Brazilian solution is efficient because it is comprehensive. It involves border management, hosting, and internalization. Brazil effectively provides access to documentation, health, education, shelter, protection, food, and social and economic integration,” said Fabiancic.

Source: Agência Brasil