Haitians stranded at Brazil´s Acre state border break through barrier and enter Peru

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Forbidden to cross the border that separates the city of Assis Brasil (AC) from Peru due to the coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of Haitian migrants on Tuesday, February 16th, broke a cordon of military and police and headed to the neighboring country.

The group was suppressed by riot police as soon as they entered Peruvian territory.

Scenes broadcast by Peruvian radio Madre de Dios in the early afternoon show dozens of police pushing Haitians with shields toward the bridge that separates the municipality of Iñapari (in Peru) from Assis Brazil, 363 kilometers from Rio Branco, the state capital.

Desperate, a Haitian is seen sitting on the ground shouting that his son has been left behind.

“Today, they said that at 11 AM they would use women and children as shields to cross the Peruvian military barrier. They managed to force their way in, but faced great physical attacks. There are pregnant women losing their babies on the sidewalk,” Assis Brasil social assistance secretary Johanna Meury Oliveira said.

“We are restoring order,” a Peruvian police colonel told the radio. “We’re going to expel everyone.”

Since Sunday, February 14th, hundreds of Haitians from the South and South-East regions of the state have been camped on the binational bridge, which separates the two countries, despite the shelters provided by the city of Assis Brasil.

The action was a protest against the Peruvian government’s decision to keep the border closed, blocking passage to migrants. Despite this, Peru has so far shown no signs that it will reopen the bridge, closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the time, there were concerns that the group would try to breach the barrier to enter the neighboring country.

City mayor Jerry Correa (PT) has asked the state and federal government for assistance in securing resources to continue providing shelter and food to immigrants. They currently occupy two public shelters and two houses rented by the city.

On Saturday, February 13th, the government of Acre had distributed basic baskets in shelters and conducted an operation in the border strip to curb the work of coyotes.

Ten years ago, the border between Acre and Peru served as a gateway for thousands of Haitians to Brazil.

With the economic crisis and the lack of prospects in the country, Haitians began the same path in an attempt to reach the United States, a dangerous road trip that usually lasts for months and crosses all of Central America and Mexico.