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.”
United States Vice-president Mike Pence thanked Brazil on Tuesday for welcoming Venezuelans fleeing their country’s collapse, while warning Central Americans running from violence in their homelands not to attempt to enter the United States illegally.
Brazil will not block Venezuelans from entering the country through the border in the northern state of Roraima, but has launched a task force to organize the flow and provide resources for cities and states dealing with the refugees.