Brazil Releases Haitians From Viracopos After Fake Visa Findings as Federal Police Open Probe

Overview

• Federal Police said most passengers arrived with falsified humanitarian visas, citing QR code forgeries that mimicked official verification pages.
• Following the court injunction, authorities formalized individual refugee applications through the Sisconare system with support from the public defender’s office and UNHCR.
• After roughly 55 hours at the airport, 97 migrants were released on Saturday with humanitarian admission and provisional refugee protocols.
• Most travelers departed Campinas to meet relatives or friends in other cities, while a small number received municipal social assistance.
• Investigations were opened into possible document fraud and migrant smuggling involving the charter, and Aviatsa denied wrongdoing, saying passengers had valid passports.