Haitians Find Way To Brazil

by Bobby Castro⁽¹⁵⁷⁾ Red Star

Move Forward

Many thousands of Haitians have trekked from their still earthquake recovering country to find work and greener pastures in the economic boom of Brazil. Many travel from Haiti through Dominican Republic, Panama and Ecuador before reaching the South American equivalent of the Promised Land.

After traveling through three countries, many Haitians make their way to Brazil through the small towns in the Brazilian Amazon basin. Hundreds arrive daily and now the desperation is increasing as there have been many frontier reports that Brazil would soon be clamping down on the illegal influx before things get out of hand.

Upon arrival at the border, Haitians are administered vaccinations, clean water and two meals per day as required by law. Many would await the issuance of humanitarian visas in Brasileia and from there move on to the hubs of economic activity in the country. While many have been lucky to restart their lives, others though have hit a brick wall. These individuals often pack themselves eight strong in small hotel rooms or even wind up sleeping on the curb. This only increases the pressure as well as the desperation to find their work and pay in the country.

Since the 2010 earthquake, nearly 4,000 Haitians have immigrated to Brazil. The route would be through Ecuador, a country well known for its porous borders. Brazil though has given a special status to Haitians seeking work in the country compared to those from South Asia, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. These individuals get deported or refused entry at the border, unlike the Haitians.

According to Valdecir Nicacio, a human rights officer at the State of Acre, which covers Brasileia said, "Haiti is recovering from an extreme period of crisis and Brazil is in a position to help these people. Before getting here, they at the mercy of human traffickers but Brazil is big enough to absorb Haitians who just want jobs."

Nowadays though, the number of Haitians have been steadily increasing, making authorities at Brasileia and Tabatinga in the Amazonas State worry on how to cope with the numbers as to feeding and housing these immigrants as they await the results of their visa applications. In response, federal officials have sent tons of food for these soon to be immigrants who number more than a thousand in the two border settlements.

This phenomenon is a new experience for Brazil who was always worried with as to the outflow of citizens to other rich industrialized countries. Now, with its growing economic capacity and development, the exodus of impoverished citizens of other countries into their borders is still a work in progress.

Bobby Castro is the online editor at Gringos, where he has published a number of articles about moving to Brazil and many other topics.

Article submitted Tuesday, January 17, 2012 & read 3 times.

Leave your comments through Blogz:

No comments yet.

1-0-0-0-1-ADSO

Most Recent