Gov’t assesses situation facing immigrants in Roraima

The atmosphere is reported to seem calm on the border with Venezuela

Débora Brito, on-the-scene reporter

Published on 21/08/2018 - 14:04

Boa Vista

A technical team assembled by the Brazilian government with specialists from multiple ministries is visiting the town of Pacaraima, in the northern state of Roraima, which currently shelters thousands of Venezuelan immigrants.

The team arrived yesterday evening (Aug. 20) in state capital Boa Vista, and held meetings with state officials, members of social organizations, and UN agencies.

On Saturday (18), residents of Pacaraima, a municipality on the border with Venezuela, expelled Venezuelans from tents and shelters and set fire to their belongings, outraged by the newcomers’ presence.

The attack took place after a local salesman was robbed and beaten in his home on Friday (17), allegedly by four Venezuelan nationals.

“The situation here is apparently calm, if somewhat tense. A lot of people came over for breakfast this morning—around a thousand people—so it seems that things are slowly getting back to normal; but it’s a strange calm, charged with fear. It’s far from being normal, they’re still scared,” said Father Jesus, of the Parish of Pacaraima, which used to serve breakfast to some 1,600 Venezuelan immigrants every morning.