Seven Venezuelan deserters have fled to Brazil
Seven Venezuelan officials deserted their country’s Armed Forces in recent days and entered Brazil through the borders with Venezuela. The information was confirmed by the communication team of Operation Shelter (Operação Acolhida), spearheaded by the Brazilian Army.
According to Colonel Carla Beatriz, head of communications under the operation, three military agents managed to cross the border and left Venezuela yesterday (Feb. 24), and four others followed suit today (25).
Screening
The officials coming to Brazil are sent to screening stations linked to Operation Shelter, where they are received like the other Venezuelan immigrants. The screening process includes hearing whether they are refugees or plan to take temporary residence in the country.
The first option requires a stay in Brazil at least one year long. For this reason, Colonel Carla Beatriz said, some Venezuelans change their statement to temporary residence. Documents are inspected by the Federal Police. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is also offering assistance.
The Armed Forces send both deserters and immigrants to shelters in cities across Roraima after their needs are screened. State capital Boa Vista alone has 11 shelters. After this stage, relocation is considered, whereby Venezuelans are resettled in other Brazilian states.
“The relocation initiative includes three modalities. First is employment, which is arranged with companies willing to hire immigrants. The second is moving to other shelters, usually religious organizations. Third is family reunion, when a family member has found a job or any other way of staying in Brazil, and receives the rest of the family,” Colonel Carla Beatriz told Agência Brasil.
