In the last 3 days of 2011, about 500 Haitians have arrived from Bolivia in the border town of Brasileia (Brazil), in addition to the 700 another of our compatriots who arrived in recent weeks in the same city. The small town of Brasileia not being able to cope alone with the influx of newcomers, the Government of the State of Acre, sent food and water to help our compatriots, who camp in public places.

The Brazilian Ministry of Justice acknowledged last month that it was studying measures to stop illegal border crossings, but so far, no plans had been adopted. It is because of the fear that Brazil restricts the entry of Haitians in 2012 at the border of the Amazon, that our compatriots cross in greater numbers the border.

Brazil has welcomed the past two years, hundreds of illegal Haitians in search of better living conditions and issued them humanitarian visas, since Brazil does not consider these asylum seekers as political refugees.

According to the Jesuit Refugee Service, networks are taking advantage of the difficult situation in Haiti, to recruit and to convince Haitians that they will find work in countries such as Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia before abandoning them, after receiving large sums of money. Left to themselves, our compatriots are turning to Brazil as a last hope...

S/ HaitiLibre