On Saturday, Brazil’s government expressed outrage, after dozens of immigrants deported from the United States arrived by plane in handcuffs.
The controversy comes as Latin America grapples with US President Donald Trump’s return to power bringing a hardline anti-immigration agenda, promising crackdowns on irregular migration and mass deportations.
Several planes have taken the illegal immigrants to different countries like Guatemala and Brazil. When the plane landed in the northern city of Manaus, the Brazilian authorities ordered US officials to immediately remove the handcuffs.
Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski told President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the flagrant disregard for the fundamental rights of Brazilian citizens.
After learning of the situation, President Lula ordered that a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aircraft be mobilized to transport the Brazilians to their final destination, in order to ensure that they could complete their journey with dignity and safety.
The Foreign Ministry said it would demand an explanation from Washington over the degrading treatment of passengers on the flight.
According to the government, 88 Brazilians were aboard the aircraft. Several deported immigrants told the media that they weren’t given water during the flight and were brought with their hands and feet tied, AFP reported. The report also suggested that some of the passengers on the plane even fainted due to the heat.
