Wednesday, August 28, 2024 Brazil is tightening its entry regulations starting Monday in response to a significant increase in migrants using Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport as a stopover to seek asylum in the country. Many of these individuals, primarily from India, Nepal, and Vietnam, aim to enter Brazil and then journey overland to the United States. Rising Migrant Crisis at Sao Paulo Airport The Brazilian justice ministry revealed that criminal organizations have been exploiting Brazil as a route for smuggling immigrants and trafficking people.
There has been a sharp rise in the number of migrants, particularly from Asian countries, attempting to use Brazil as a gateway to the United States. These migrants often purchase plane tickets to other South American destinations but are advised by smugglers to apply for asylum in Brazil upon arrival. Once in Brazil, their ultimate goal is to travel north through Colombia and Panama via the treacherous Darien Gap jungle, hoping to reach the United States for a better life.
However, many find themselves stranded at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, waiting in overcrowded transit zones. Last week, authorities estimated that 481 migrants were stuck in limbo at the airport, with local media reporting that a significant number of them are from India, Nepal, and Vietnam. A local television station aired images showing dozens of people wearing masks, standing in long lines waiting for food.
Tragically, on August 13, a Ghanaian man died just five days after arriving at the airport. He fell ill and was transferred to a public hospital, where he suffered a heart attack, according to the Federal Police. New Transit Visa Requirement To address this growing issue, the Brazilian government has introduced new rules requiring travelers from countries for which Brazil mandates a visa to obtain a transit visa for stopovers.
This measure aims to prevent migrants from using stopovers as an opportunity to seek asylum in Brazil. Additionally, asylum seekers must now provide evidence of political persecution or violence in their home countries to qualify for asylum. This move is intended to deter those attempting to misuse the asylum process as a means of reaching the United States.
Guarulhos International Airport, one of the busiest in Latin America, handles around 35 million travelers annually. According to official data, the number of asylum applications at the airport has skyrocketed, increasing 60-fold in the past decade—from 69 in 2013 to 4,239 in 2023. This year alone, 5,428 asylum applications have been filed from January to July, averaging 25 per day, with the numbers surging to 41 applications per day in August.
Human Rights Concerns and Government Response A recent report by Brazil’s Public Defense, an independent organization providing legal aid to the poor, highlighted severe human rights violations at the airport, particularly affecting children, unaccompanied minors, and women in vulnerable situations. Migrants are reported to be sleeping on the ground, with increasing demands for medical care, and suffering from poor hygiene and food conditions. In response to the crisis, the Brazilian authorities have increased the number of staff processing asylum applications to reduce delays, following an emergency meeting called by the prosecutor’s office last week.
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