Venezuelans Use Illegal Route to Buy Food in Brazil

01/02/2017 - 13h06

Retired, João Pereira de Oliveira, 64, bought a piece of land one year ago to build his house and rest. The plan was going fine until the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, decided to close the border between his country and Brazil.

Oliveira's property is on the border between the two countries and became an illegal route used by Venezuelans to enter Brazil and buy food. They also use it to bring gasoline to Brazil and sell it in Pacaraima, in the state of Roraima.

Pacaraima does not have any gas stations and its economy was affected by the closed border.

President Maduro says he made the decision to prevent the 100-bolivar bills (a dollar is equivalent in Venezuela to 670 bolívares) from being smuggled by Colombian and Brazilin mafias, supported by the U.S.

At least one hundred people, on foot or by bicycle, go from Santa Elena de Uairén (Venezuela) to Brazil every day through Oliveira's property.

"I need to buy rice, sugar and oil. If I don't cut through this property, I won't have anything to eat," says Carlo Alandi, who crosses the area illegally by motorcycle.

"There is nothing that I can do, there is no way of stopping them. It is a question of solidarity. They are very hungry. You cannot stop someone from eating," says Oliveira.

In addition to Oliveira's property, there are at least seven other points in the urban area of Pacaraima used for the illegal crossing, which lasts some 15 minutes by motorcycle.

The Internal Revenue Agency says that goods entering or leaving the country out of customs points configure contraband and duty evasion.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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