Record Number of Cuban Migrants Seek Asylum in Brazil

The Federal government of Brazil faced a record high of over 41,000 asylum applications from Cubans last year. This surge stems from a deteriorating economic and fuel crisis in Cuba combined with the closure of migration pathways to the United States under the Donald Trump administration.

Many migrants utilize Guyana as a visa-free transit point before traveling through the Amazon to enter Brazil. While Brazil provides asylum-seekers with access to social services and the right to work, the government implemented a 2024 policy prohibiting certain arrivals at São Paulo's main international airport from seeking asylum. Officials claim the measure prevents human trafficking and stops Brazil from serving as a stepping stone to the U.S.

Rights groups and humanitarian organizations have criticized these restrictions. Gehad Madi, a United Nations migrants' rights expert, noted that while Brazil's approach to human mobility is a leading example in Latin America, the airport restrictions are problematic. Organizations such as Missão Paz provide guidance on the asylum process, emphasizing the need for proof of persecution. Humanitarian groups are now urging Brazil to grant Cubans broad residency permissions similar to those previously provided to Venezuelans.