Temer, Pence to discuss situation of Brazil immigrant children in US
The situation facing over 40 children and adolescents arrested on the US–Mexico border is expected to be in the limelight of the first high-level meeting between the US and Brazil held in Brazilian territory since the beginning of the Temer administration. Trump’s vice-President Mike Pence is to land in Brasília on Tuesday morning (Jun. 26) and is slated to meet with Temer at midday.
While disclosing Pence’s agenda in Brazil, Subsecretary-General for Political Affairs, Europe, and US Fernando Simas Magalhães refrained from referencing more delicate topics, like the impasse stemming from the “zero tolerance” policy on undocumented immigrants.
Simas Magalhães only went as far as to say the issue will be given “special and concrete treatment,” and noted that the Brazilian Foreign Ministry has held an ongoing dialog with the US government, adding, however, that US consular officials have reported great difficulty in monitoring and finding the over 40 Brazilian children and enable the reunion with their families.
“The effort unveiled makes our stance clear—we’re concerned with the dignity of these families and children, and give great importance to this topic in a greater human rights context in which the two countries are engaged,” he declared.
Since April this year, thousands of families attempted to enter the US without documentation and were eventually separated from their children. Over 2 thousand children are said to have been affected by the measure implemented by the Trump administration, which ordered Thursday that the families should be reunited, after bitter criticism.
The US Homeland Department updated its figures today, raising the number of immigrant children brought back to family members to 538.
Despite the move, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office said that the reunion does not solve the problem. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN office, said that under no circumstances may a child be left in a detention center.
Pence is to arrive in Brazil accompanied by his wife Karen Pence, who has her own schedule in Brasília. The two are to take part in a lunch offered by the Ministry of Foreign Relations, also to be attended by Temer and ministers still unconfirmed. The list of guests, not yet disclosed, includes 24 authorities.
Venezuela
The two countries are also expected to discuss the situation of Venezuelan immigrants. Brazil argues that the circumstances facing Venezuela—temporarily suspended from the Organization of American States (OAS) for disrespecting democracy—should be jointly tackled by the organization’s member countries.
Pence is to fly to Manaus early on Wednesday morning (27) and visit one of the shelters built to receive Venezuelans. The humanitarian crisis faced by the Venezuelan immigrants is still to be part of Pence’s agenda in the coming days. From there, the US vice-president is to fly to Quito, Ecuador, where he should meet with President Lenín Moreno on the same issue.
Alcântara
Also to be discussed in the meeting are bilateral deals in key areas for the two countries, among them the resumed talks on the use of Alcântara satellite launch base, in Maranhão, north Brazil, by Nasa.
The US interest in using the base for the launch of satellites is based on the economical advantages brought about by its geographic location near the Equator. “It makes it possible for a satellite to be launched with 30% more cargo, or with 30% of fuel saved. Alcântara is extremely attractive for this activity, which makes billion dollars circulate all over the world,” Magalhães stated.
The talks on technological safeguards for using the base were recently brought back to the two nations’ negotiation table. Brazil’s Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes confirmed the agenda after meeting with US State Secretary Mike Pompeo early this month.
