Venezuelans in Brazil: Challenges of Protection (original) (raw)

THE BRAZILIAN RESPONSE TO THE RECENT VENEZUELAN IMMIGRATION TO RORAIMA

Revista de Ciências Militares, 2020

This article addresses the migration flows caused by the Venezuelan political and economic crisis and the Brazilian response to the problem. The article will analyse the causal links underpinning Venezuelan immigration, in order to identify its consequences and the measures taken by the Brazilian Government to minimise the impact of this crisis. First, the theoretical and methodological concepts will be presented, after which the Venezuelan historical context will be explained, as will the Brazilian response to the crisis. The study uses process-tracing methods and is based on the securitization theory advanced by Barry Buzan and Olav Weaver, authors of the Copenhagen school. To solve this migration crisis, the Brazilian government recognised the vulnerable situation of the state of Roraima and created the Federal Emergency Assistance Committee, whose work resulted in Ministry of Defence directives that established the parameters and responsibilities for conducting Control and Reception operations.

Venezuelan Refugees in Brazil: Interpreting Recent Changes in Status Determination Practice within the Context of Global Politics

2021

Since 2013, Venezuela has been enduring one the worst socioeconomic depressions in its region. Instability has arisen and led approximately 4.6 million citizens of that State to emigrate, more prominently to nearby countries. Considering that displaced Venezuelans tend to fall outside the scope of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the UNHCR has recommended that States should use the 1984 Cartagena Declaration criteria for refugee status determination (RSD) procedures. Despite incorporating that instrument's 'expanded' refugee definition in its domestic legislation, initially, Brazil opted to welcome displaced Venezuelans solely via temporary residence visas. However, since 2019, the country has started to recognize Venezuelans as refugees. This research will investigate which factors, actors, and conditions could have influenced the recent change in RSD practice in Brazil. The paper will argue that, when acting in concert, international actors were able to frame the situation...

The application of the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees to Venezuelans in Brazil: An analysis of the decision-making process by the National Committee for Refugees

Latin American Law Review, 2020

Although the outflow of Venezuelan nationals represents one of the greatest challenges which has affected South America so far, the Brazilian National Committee for Refugees (CONARE) took over 3 years to decide whether or not to apply the Cartagena Declaration, progressively demonstrating unwillingness to provide international protection to Venezuelans and developing migratory routes as alternatives. As the main decision-making court in Brazil for asylum claims, this study looks at the route followed by CONARE to come to a decision and its possible consequences for asylum seekers. Although CONARE did apply the Cartagena Declaration in asylum claims made by Ve- nezuelans, it was regarded as subsidiary to the 1951 Convention. Consequently, the committee decided not to apply a prima facie recognition, and demonstrated deep concern to asylum seekers’ criminal background. This investigation uses primary sources, such as official documents and field memories, and secondary sources, such as reports by other researchers and organizations.

Legal Aspects of Assisting Venezuelans Indigenous Migrants in Brazil

IOM, 2019

This decade’s flow of Venezuelans from their homeland remains Latin America’s most important migration event, and one of the region’s most compelling human mobility stories of all time. Approximately 3.7 million Venezuelans have left their country between 2015-2019. The flow presents risks to the refugees and migrants and multiple challenges to public authorities, civil society and international organizations managing this large-scale movement. One of those challenges is the presence of international indigenous in the move – a population group with significant cultural, social and legal particularities. The present report depicts, analyses and make recommendations focusing on the beginning of the reception process of those indigenous Venezuelans in Northern Brazil. Originally published in Portuguese in 2018, the report addresses the main legal questions and practical challenges to enforce indigenous migrants’ rights during the migration flow.

Durable Solutions for Indigenous Migrants and Refugees in the Context of the Venezuelan Flow in Brazil - with Elaine Moeira et al (Completo)

IOM, 2020

This report updates and qualifies the discussion on the migration of indigenous people from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the Federative Republic of Brazil. To this end, it problematizes the traditional concept of “durable solutions” in the literature on migration and asylum and offers a set of recommendations for the construction of durable solutions that are culturally appropriate to the Brazilian context. For the creation of this document, a survey was conducted in the Brazilian States of Roraima and Amazonas with the Warao, Eñepa and Pemón indigenous peoples of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as well as interviews and workshops with public officials, technicians, authorities and academics in Brasília, Manaus and Boa Vista. This publication brings new information in considering the challenges of the internal dynamics in the flow of indigenous migrants for structuring public policies, updating the information and analysis documents produced recently, particularly between 2017 and 2019. In addition, it discusses the concept of durable solutions by presenting some of the challenges faced from the different cultural reality of indigenous migrants. Finally, it outlines five steps for the construction of public policies to overcome the emergency response policies in the medium and long term that constitute culturally appropriate durable solutions. This study complies with international law and global good practices by indicating that no durable solution will be effective and socially fair without considering all stakeholders, especially the host community and the right to prior informed consultation of indigenous peoples.

THE POLITICISATION OR SECURITISATION OF MIGRATION? THE CASES OF BRAZIL, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR AND PERU DURING THE VENEZUELAN CRISIS 1

Espirales, 2023

The political, economic and social crisis in Venezuela has resulted in a wave of mass migration that has affected neighbouring South American countries. Since 2015, governments in the region have responded to the mass arrival of migrants in a variety of ways. The situation has led to the design and implementation of new migration practices, including the use of the military to deal with migration flows. This paper examines migration responses to the Venezuelan crisis and their relationship with the concept of security in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Drawing on interviews conducted on the basis of non-attribution, primary and secondary sources, and discourses and migratory practices, the paper questions whether Venezuelan migration has been securitised by governments in response to alleged threats, or whether it has remained a political matter in these four countries.