Syrian Refugee Resettlement in Brazil: A Viable Alternative Strategy to Aid?

During forced displacement following war or disasters, foreign states often implement measures to either provide aid and services to displaced people in receiving countries, or allow for refugee resettlement to a third country. In the Middle East context, presently ridden by overlapping human-made conflicts, ‘Southern’ states have mostly engaged with aid provision in indirect ways, financing pre-existing programmes or entities which have already been operating on the ground. In addition, they often opt to provide resettlement opportunities in their own territory. This article specifically explores the role of Brazil in refugee and migrant reception, in the framework of unclear policies and lack of concrete support, which weaken its resettlement system. Based on one-to-one interviews conducted in February and May 2019 in Beirut with Syrian nationals who intended to resettle in Brazil, and with representatives of the Brazilian Consulate-General, the article explores the potential and paradoxes of Brazil’s humanitarian schemes. We argue that aiding refugees cannot involve crossroads-based strategies involving either resettlement or aid provision. Considering the role of political geography in producing the imagination of life in Brazil, the article shows how the country’s eligibility measures for resettlement are understood, contested and/or welcomed by refugees from Syria and Brazilian citizens themselves.