MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil still open to Venezuelan refugees, says Lula

When people ”have no food or work, they seek other places to survive,” Lula argued

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva insisted this week that his country would remain open to welcoming refugees from Venezuela, Agencia Brasil reported. The head of state made those remarks during a radio interview in Manaus. He also said he hoped the neighboring country would soon “return to normalcy.”

Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira ”has been directed by the Brazilian government to ensure that we treat those coming to Brazil out of necessity with the utmost respect,” said Lula. “As you know, human beings are somewhat nomadic—when they have no food or work, they seek other places to survive,” he added.

“We must treat those arriving here with dignity, and the federal government is responsible for helping the state of Roraima provide for their education and well-being,” he also pointed out. “We don't want these individuals to endure more hardship here after the struggles they faced in Venezuela.”

Lula also mentioned that he was planning to visit the Brazilian State of Roraima soon to discuss the issue with Governor Antonio Denarium. The Venezuela-bordering enclaves of Boa Vista and Pacaraima in Roraima serve as the primary entry points for Venezuelans seeking better living conditions in Brazil. To address the humanitarian needs at the border, the Brazilian government is carrying out the so-called Operation Welcome (Operação Acolhida) together with over 120 national and international organizations, civil society, and private partners.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency, Brazil saw 1,134,532 Venezuelan migrants enter the country between January 2017 and July 2024, of whom 532,773 have since departed.