Brazil recognized over 77,000 individuals as refugees in 2023
In 2023, the Brazilian government recognized 77,193 individuals as refugees, marking the highest number in the history of the national refugee system and a significant increase of 1,232.1 percent compared to 2022. Overall, Brazil has recognized a total of 143,033 people as refugees.
The data is from the 9th edition of the "Refuge in Numbers" Yearbook, released by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and the United Nations (UN) Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Thursday (Jun. 13), in Brasília.
Venezuelans accounted for 112,644 applications, representing 81.4 percent of the total applications processed in the country. The study also highlights requests from Haitians (5.6%), Cubans (2.9%), Angolans (1.7%), and Bangladeshis (1.2%). Additionally, there was an increase in the number of refugee applications from women, as well as from children and adolescents.
In 2023, the National Committee for Refugees (Conare) examined 138,359 applications for recognition of refugee status, representing a 235 percent increase compared to 2022.
Davide Torzilli, the representative of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Brazil, highlights the procedures adopted by Brazil in 2023, which have shortened the processing time for granting refugee status. These include increased capacity for screening applications by Conare, simplification of the process for analyzing profiles at high risk of persecution, and faster processing times for applications, including those that meet the requirements for waiving an interview.
"All of these advances were recognized at the Global Forum on Refugees in December 2023, allowing Brazil to make very ambitious and important commitments to international protection," Torzilli highlighted.
Refugees in Brazil
Commenting on the released figures, Ambassador Gilda Motta, Director of the Department of International Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted the growing number of individuals from around the world seeking refuge in Brazil. She highlighted that despite socio-economic challenges and limitations, the country has made progress in its refugee protection legislation, emphasizing respect for human dignity and human rights.
"We have granted humanitarian visas to people affected by crises in Afghanistan, Syria, Haiti, and Ukraine. Additionally, since 2017, we have established Operation Welcome to receive and integrate Venezuelans who wish to settle in Brazil," says Motta.
The ambassador explains that in all cases, Brazil ensures equal rights with nationals, regardless of migratory status. However, she notes that while Brazilian solidarity has grown, international solidarity has not kept pace.
