Brazil authorities puzzle over Haitian immigrant overflow

Criado em 20/01/14 09h41 e atualizado em 20/01/14 09h45
Por Carolina Gonçalves Fonte:Agência Brasil

Brasília – Representatives from the Ministries of Justice and Health and the Office of the Chief of Staff will meet on Tuesday (Jan. 21) to discuss solutions to manage an ever-growing flow of Haitian immigrants crowding into Brazil.

Over 1,200 Haitians are housed in a shelter that can accommodate a maximum 450 people in Brasileia, some 200 kilometers from Rio Branco, capital of the state of Acre in the Amazon.

The state government has urged temporarily closing the border as the situation gets more and more alarming.

An agreement with businesses from various industries ranging from metallurgy to construction to employ Haitians in other parts of the country falls short of the growing inflows. The situation got even worse as companies cut down hiring in early December because of a slowdown period.

“The flow of people keeps on the rise. We had 50 people coming in yesterday, but employers have cut back hiring,” said Acre's Human Rights Secretary, Nilson Mourão.

Recruitment is expected to pick up pace in February.

Edited by Valéria Aguiar / Lícia Marques
Translated by Mayra Borges

Dê sua opinião sobre a qualidade do conteúdo que você acessou.

Para registrar sua opinião, copie o link ou o título do conteúdo e clique na barra de manifestação.

Você será direcionado para o "Fale com a Ouvidoria" da EBC e poderá nos ajudar a melhorar nossos serviços, sugerindo, denunciando, reclamando, solicitando e, também, elogiando.