Brazil Tightens Pacaraima Border Checks, Migrants Turn to Foot and Clandestine Routes

Overview

• The Brazilian Army intensified inspections at the official crossing in Pacaraima on Jan. 6, producing a backlog of cars, pickup trucks and motorcycles bound for Venezuela.
• O Globo reporters counted roughly 150 people entering Brazil on foot in a two-hour span, with many hauling their belongings after long walks.
• Migrants say irregular transport drivers now drop passengers short of the Brazilian checkpoint to avoid scrutiny, forcing them to complete the approach on foot.
• Security forces report increased patrols but concede that numerous savanna trails enable clandestine entries that are difficult to seal, according to Roraima Military Police Captain Costa.
• People cite hunger, economic collapse and fear of the Maduro regime as drivers of their departure, and coverage ties Brazil’s tighter checks to recent U.S. strikes in Venezuela and the reported capture of Nicolás Maduro.