São Paulo – The majority of refugees in Brazil today are from Syria. Presently, there are 1,524 Syrian refugees in the country – roughly 20% of 7,289 refugees.
The figures are part of a report released this Tuesday (18th) during a press conference by Andrés Ramirez, a representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Unhcr) in Brazil, and by Paulo Abrão, the national secretary for Justice and chairman of the National Committee for Refugees (Conare, in the Portuguese acronym).
Apart from Syrians, the largest refugee communities in Brazil are from Colombia (1,218), Angola (1,067) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (784). At this time, there are refugees from 81 different countries living in Brazil.
From 2012 to 2013, Brazil’s refugee population increased by 12.9%, from 4,689 to 5,256. Between 2013 and October this year, the population was up 36.6% to 7,289.
The number of asylum requests also grew, from 5,800 requests in 2013 to 8,300 in 2014. Of all requests made to Brazil this year, 1,075 were from Syrians.
“The case of Syrians can be explained by Brazil’s stance of solidarity towards victims of the Syrian conflict, demonstrated by the enactment of Conare’s Normative Act #17. The act facilitates the entry of people seeking asylum, in Brazil as a consequence of the Syrian conflict, via the issuance of a tourist visa valid for 90 days,” the report explains regarding the higher influx of Syrian refugees to the country.
All asylum requests made to Brazil are reviewed and decided upon by the Conare, which comprises officials from the ministries of Justice, External Relations, Education, Labour and Health, as well as Federal Police personnel and representatives from refugee-related civil society organizations.
As per the report, in 2014, the Conare approved asylum requests from 18 different countries, such as Syria, Lebanon and Mali, among others. “Since 2013, virtually 100% of requests made by Syrians have been approved,” the document reads.
The report also mentions people from other countries who were also given refugee status in Brazil. “Syrians comprise the bulk of asylum seekers accepted in Brazil, at 20%. Next come refugees from Colombia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Other relevant refugee populations are from Lebanon, Liberia, Palestine, Iraq, Bolivia and Sierra Leone.”
According to the report, updated in October this year, there are 391 refugees from Lebanon, 263 from Palestine and 229 from Iraq living in Brazil.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
