Venezuelans are abandoned near the bus station in Vitória, Espírito Santo

About 20 Venezuelans of the Warao indigenous ethnicity were left near the bus station in Vitória (ES) after leaving the city of Teixeira de Freitas, in southern Bahia, officials said. The case was previously reported by the newspaper “A Gazeta” and confirmed by the CNN .

According to the city hall of Teixeira de Freitas, the group would be traveling through several municipalities. Before arriving in the city of Bahia, the immigrants would have passed through Jequié, also in Bahia.

According to the Espírito Santo State Collective Passenger Transport Company (Ceturb-ES), which manages the bus station in the capital of Espírito Santo, a bus disembarked the foreigners, including children and the elderly, on a side street around 3 am.

After approaching the surveillance team, the group remained near a taxi rank, dispersing around 5:15 am outside the bus station, next to the parking lot.

Also according to Ceturb, the social approach of the city of Vitória arrived at the place around 7 am. It was passed on to the municipal administration that Venezuelans would have a CPF and had been in Brazil for more than a year.

The company informs that the vehicle that transported the group has been identified, and that it is taking “appropriate measures”.

The city of Vitória reported that it was surprised by the case, but that teams from the Municipal Department of Social Assistance (Semas) were sent to the site in the morning, performing the first calls to the group and providing emergency assistance.

The Municipal Health Department also provided assistance, in addition to monitoring the Municipal Guard for the safety of families, according to the municipal administration.

The city government sent a letter reporting the situation to the Federal Police (PF). The state government and the Public Ministry will also be communicated.

“The families were referred to a unit of the Municipality of Vitória, which continues to seek legal alternatives for the case, capable of protecting the fundamental rights and guarantees of citizens in theory”, concludes the note.

The Secretary of State for Work, Assistance and Social Development (Setades) highlighted that the Ministry of Citizenship, the Union Public Defender’s Office and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were also notified.

When questioned, the Federal Police noted that it is up to the unit of the corporation in the state where the immigrants entered Brazil to register the asylum request. The document is sent for decision to the National Committee for Refugees (Conare), linked to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.

While waiting for the final judgment, provisional residency in Brazil is authorized, in accordance with Decree No. 9,199/2017.

“In this scenario, it is up to the Federal Police in Espírito Santo only to assist migrants in the case of annual renewal of the asylum request or in the case of issuance of the National Migration Registration Card – CRNM when the asylum request is granted by CONARE”, highlighted the PF. .

What does the city hall of Teixeira de Freitas say

The municipal administration of Teixeira de Freitas, the town in Bahia from which the Venezuelans left, said in a statement that the group arrived in the municipality on August 12.

“Due to the absence of indigenous communities in Teixeirense territory, there are no public policies or funds available that can provide adequate assistance to this group”, explains the note.

Marcelo Teixeira, secretary of Social Assistance of the municipality, denied any type of abandonment on the part of the city hall. “We welcomed at Tarsila do Amaral school, offered food, medical services and donations,” he said, adding that “there was no lack of dignity” to foreigners.

The secretary also informed that this is the second time in less than a year that the group has visited the city.

The city government reportedly tried, without success, to contact Funai and, after a few days, responded to a request from the indigenous people and provided transport to Vitória.

THE CNN contacted Funai and the Jequié City Hall and is awaiting a response.