RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Public Security Minister Raul Jungmann on Wednesday criticized a border blockade against Venezuelan immigrants, saying the South American country cannot refuse their arrival.
During an event held in the capital Brasilia, Jungmann criticized a ruling by a local judge, who ordered the blockade of the Brazil-Venezuela border at the small town of Pacaraima, Roraima state, on Monday. The blockade lasted a day before the ruling was annulled Tuesday according to an appeal filed by the Attorney General's Office.
Jungmann said the original ruling was unconstitutional while noticing an undue electoral influence in the matter. He said the federal government supports the state of Roraima and is attending to the needs of the Venezuelan immigrants.
"What I see is a toxic interference of the elections. This cannot be an electoral dispute," he said, adding that such argument "lacks rationality".
The minister said Brazil is a country of immigrants and cannot turn its back on the Venezuelan immigrants who are having a rough time.
Over the past months, Brazilian government has been moving Venezuelan immigrants from Roraima to other states. However, Roraima still hosts the majority of Venezuelan immigrants, facing related challenges in sectors including public healthcare, education and housing.
