A report of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin) warned of a sharp increase in the flow of Cuban citizens crossing Brazil bound for Uruguay and noted that, during 2025, an average of 30 people per day He crossed the border through Rivera.
The document, which was accessed by the weekly Searchanalyzes the irregular migration routes in Brazilian territory and dedicates several chapters to the transit of Cubans to the south of the continent.
According to the report, this year there was a significant increase in Cuban citizens entering Brazil through the states of Amapá and Roraimain the north of the country, often with the support of networks dedicated to migrant trafficking. After crossing Brazilian territory, they continue their journey towards the borders with Uruguay and Argentina.
Abin maintains that the main entry point to Uruguay is the border crossing between Santana do Livramento and Riverawhere between January and October more than 11,000 departures of Cuban citizensusing the existing integrated immigration control between both countries.
“This year also highlights a large increase in the entry of Cuban citizens, with the help of migrant smuggling networks, through the states of Amapá and Roraima, as well as their exit through Rio Grande do Sul,” the report states.
The flow through Chuy also increased
The document also indicates that the Brazilian authorities detected an increase in migratory movement on the border between Chuí and Chuyanother of the main connection points between Brazil and Uruguay.
According to the research, the majority of Cuban migrants initially arrive in Brazil through the borders with Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela. They are later registered by the Brazilian authorities and continue their journey south.
Abin points out that many enter with refugee requests in Brazil, although some give up this process to start similar processes in Uruguay. Others make the journey using temporary transit permits.
“The migrants have entry registration in Amapá or Roraima, with a request for refuge. Some abandon that request in Brazil to request Uruguayan protection, while others travel with a transit stamp valid for eight days,” the report indicates.
Brazil as a transit country
The study was prepared by the Brazilian Intelligence Agency together with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and is titled Migrant smuggling in Brazil: an intelligence analysis.
The report concludes that Brazil has established itself as a country of origin, transit and destination of irregular migratory routes, in part due to the extension of its land borders, which exceed 16,000 kilometers.
Likewise, it warns of a growing professionalization of organizations dedicated to migrant trafficking and maintains that the phenomenon requires a coordinated response between countries in the region.
The route from Cuba to Uruguay
According to Abin, a good part of Cuban migrants begin their journey by first traveling to Guyana or Surinamecountries that maintain fewer entry restrictions for citizens of the island.
From there they move towards the north of Brazil, entering mainly through Amapá and Roraima. They then travel thousands of kilometers to the south of the country to cross into Uruguay or continue their journey to other destinations in the Southern Cone, such as Chile.
