Brazil has voiced strong outrage after 88 of its nationals were deported from the United States and arrived in Brazil while handcuffed. The Brazilian government condemned the treatment as “degrading” and demanded an explanation from Washington.
“They didn’t give us water…”
The deportation flight, initially scheduled to land in Belo Horizonte in southeastern Brazil, was rerouted to Manaus in Amazonas due to technical difficulties. Upon arrival, Brazilian authorities instructed that the deportees’ handcuffs be removed immediately.
One of the deportees, Edgar Da Silva Moura, 31, a computer technician, shared his experience with AFP: “On the plane, they didn’t give us water, we were tied hands and feet, they wouldn’t even let us go to the bathroom. It was very hot, some people fainted.”
Another deportee, Luis Antonio Rodrigues Santos, 21, described the “nightmare” conditions, mentioning respiratory problems among passengers due to a lack of air conditioning for several hours. He stated, “Things have already changed (with Trump), immigrants are treated as criminals,” according to France24.
🇧🇷🇺🇸BRAZIL SLAMS HANDCUFFS ON DEPORTEES—TRUMP ADMIN UNMOVED
Brazil called the use of handcuffs on deportees “blatant disrespect,” demanding their removal mid-flight during an unexpected landing in Manaus.
The Trump administration, now ramping up mass deportations, sees the… https://t.co/C1DdUEQCIB pic.twitter.com/N0jKCp7yHK
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 26, 2025
🇺🇸TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION RAIDS HIT LA WITH MILITARY PRECISION
Pre-dawn raids in Los Angeles mark the latest escalation in Trump’s mass-deportation push, targeting “criminal migrants” across sanctuary cities.
The crackdown uses military planes and relaxed rules to raid courthouses,… https://t.co/xaH1mrIlTG pic.twitter.com/iiDIxVMWAu
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 26, 2025
What Brazil has to say?
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced plans to seek an explanation from the U.S. government regarding the inhumane treatment of Brazilian deportees on a recent flight, according to a statement posted on X on Saturday night.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has ordered the deployment of a Brazilian Air Force aircraft to complete the deportees’ journey, ensuring they could finish their trip with dignity and safety.
The deportation flight was part of a 2017 bilateral agreement between Brazil and the U.S. and was not directly linked to President Trump’s recent immigration orders. This marks the second deportation flight this year and the first since Trump began his second term.
