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Sao Paulo, Brazil – Venezuela temporarily closed its border with Brazil following the United States’ decision early morning attack on Caracas, where American forces also “captured” the president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The border crossing between the Brazilian city of Pacaraima and Santa Elena de Uairen in Venezuela was closed on the Venezuelan side for about five hours, preventing citizens from entering Brazil, a Brazilian military official told Al Jazeera.
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“There was no formal protocol from Venezuela regarding entry and exit criteria. The fact is that Brazilians are allowed to go out, while Venezuelans face restrictions. But that could change at any time,” said the official, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak on the subject.
Brazil’s federal police chief also announced the temporary closure, and the governor of Roraima state told Reuters the border had been reopened after a brief closure.
The Brazilian government said it was monitoring the border and had sent military personnel to the area to increase security.
“The Minister of Defense indicated that there was no abnormal activity on the border between Brazil and Venezuela, which will continue to be monitored, and that he is in contact with the governor of Roraima,” we read in a press release from the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Venezuelans compose Brazil’s largest foreign populationaccording to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The state of Roraima alone is home to 77,563 immigrants from the country. In total, some 8 million Venezuelans have fled their homes over the past decade, and more than 6 million have resettled in other Latin American countries.
“I think it is very possible that there will be an exodus of Venezuelans to Brazil and, in fact, we are already seeing concrete signs of that,” Jessica Leon Cedeno, a Venezuelan journalist living in Sao Paulo, told Al Jazeera.
“Millions of people have left the country in search of better living conditions and opportunities. »
Lula says US attacks could “destabilize” region
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Saturday that the actions of US President Donald Trump in Venezuela were “unacceptable”.
“The bombings of Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president cross an unacceptable line,” Lula wrote on X. “These acts represent a serious affront to the sovereignty of Venezuela and another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community.”
The Brazilian leader has been calling for restraint for months amid heightened tensions in the United States. military reinforcement off the coast of Venezuela.
Analysts fear Maduro’s removal could plunge Venezuela into chaos, which could lead to a new wave of violence. mass migrationas was the case in 2019 after a failed attempt to oust Maduro.
Joao Carlos Jarochinski Silva, professor of international relations at the Federal University of Roraima, said a potential migratory wave would depend on several factors, including the continuation of Washington’s military campaign inside the country and the ability of what remains of Maduro’s regime to fight.
“What is the resilience of Chavismo in Venezuela? said Jarochinski Silva, referring to the political movement named after former President Hugo Chavez. “This could have really worrying consequences, but given the current scenario, there is no context for fear. »
He added that Trump has so far focused on applauding military action in Venezuela and has failed to address key humanitarian concerns. Earlier this year, the Trump administration cut funding to the U.S. government’s main foreign aid agency, USAID, which hit Venezuela’s neighbors Brazil and Venezuela hard. Colombia.
“The United States has reduced its humanitarian resources in recent times,” he said, adding that U.S. military actions inside the country would have consequences. “For example, refugees, other people who might be affected by this. He doesn’t commit to this program at any time.”
