Eight Brazilians are arrested in France with CPLP titles and seven of them were deported

The Brazilian's lawyer, who is still in the hands of the police, says that his client and his seven colleagues went to work as bricklayers, even without having the documentation required by the French authorities.

Eight Brazilians were detained in France this week, seven of whom have already been deported to Brazil. Only one remains in custody in the European country, with the option of being sent to Portugal or returning to Brazil, according to lawyer Alfredo Roque from VE Consultoria. All of them held residence permits issued by Portugal under the mobility agreement established with the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). However, this document is not valid in other European Union countries, which has led to questions from the EU to the Portuguese government.

Roque reported that he was contacted by phone on Friday (December 13th) by the Brazilian still detained in France. The man, originally from Manaus, Amazonas, explained that he and seven other workers had been arrested by French police while working as construction laborers. "This Brazilian is my client. He told me his passport was confiscated, and he was given the option to be deported to Portugal or Brazil," the lawyer said. Roque noted that he had already advised his client to stay in Portugal until his documentation issues were fully resolved.

Despite the advice, the Brazilian chose to travel to France, lured by the higher wages for construction workers in that country: €2,200 (about R$13,900) compared to €820 (R$5,200) in Portugal. According to Roque, the client had already been assisted by the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA) in early November, where he completed the biometric process to obtain the official residence card in Portugal. The proof of this process prevented his immediate deportation to Brazil alongside the other seven Brazilians.

Alert and Concern

The lawyer emphasized that his assistance to the client is limited to Portuguese territory since he is not authorized to practice law in France. "I need to check the code stamped on his passport to determine the necessary steps. I still don't know if he chose to board a flight to Portugal or return to Brazil," he explained. Roque also highlighted that, in cases like this, the best support for Brazilians in France comes from the consulate, which has direct communication with local authorities. However, an attempt by PÚBLICO Brasil to contact the Brazilian consulate in Paris via its emergency line was unsuccessful.

For Roque, this case serves as a warning for other Brazilians. He stressed the importance of traveling to any country with proper documentation. "People cannot believe the narratives of YouTubers and influencers who paint a simplistic and unrealistic picture of life in Portugal and Europe. I've seen posts claiming that with just €10, you can do a month's worth of groceries in Portugal, which is a lie," he cautioned. While he understands the desire to seek higher salaries, he warned against impulsive or poorly planned decisions.

Roque pointed out that many of his clients work legally in Portugal, contributing to the local economy and paying into Social Security. However, he warned of the challenges posed by the high cost of living relative to wages. "It is essential to plan thoroughly before leaving Brazil. It’s not fair for people to have to share small apartments with 20 or 40 others just to make ends meet," he said. He concluded by stating that the dream of a better life abroad can quickly turn into a nightmare, as happened to the Brazilian detained in France.