Venezuelans driven back over border after attack on Brazil couple

BRASILIA: Angry residents of the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima ran riot and drove out Venezuelan immigrants on Saturday after a local restaurant owner was stabbed and beaten.

The demonstrations forced hundreds of Venezuelans to flee back across the frontier on foot. Brazilian residents set fire to the belongings they left behind and to tyres to block the only road crossing between the two countries, video images by the state of Roraima government showed.

The outburst of anger was sparked by the robbery and severe beating of a resident in his home on Friday night by four Venezuelans, said Roraima state security secretary Giuliana Castro.

The four Venezuelan suspects stole 23 000 reais (R84 885) from the restaurant owner, identified only as Raimundo. He suffered head injuries and was taken to hospital unconscious but was reported to be out of danger, said Castro, who is also head of the state’s police force.

After crossing back into their country, Venezuelans migrants attacked a group of 30 Brazilians shopping across the border, who had to be taken to a shelter, Castro said.

Venezuela’s government expressed concern about reports of attacks on its citizens and a “massive eviction” of Venezuelans, and asked Brazil to guarantee their safety. A foreign ministry statement said the violence was fuelled by xenophobia.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have poured over the border into Roraima state over the past few years, fleeing economic and political turmoil in their country. The influx has overwhelmed the state’s social services and brought a rise in crime, prostitution and disease, and has sparked incidents of xenophobia.

A Pacaraima resident who asked to be identified only as Ismael said the four Venezuelans allegedly entered the restaurant owner’s home, tied him and his wife up and stabbed and beat the man severely before robbing his house.

“The people here are up in arms. They are burning the belongings of Venezuelans camped out here,” Ismael said. “Out, out, out! Go back to Venezuela,” demonstrators shouted at the Venezuelans as they rushed past the border post.

Venezuela’s socialist economy has been in steep decline with protests against the government of President Nicolas Maduro. “The people responsible for this tragedy are Maduro and his gang,” tweeted Venezuelan opposition politician Ismael Garcia. – Reuters