According to the organization, they were able to confirm that family members of 11 people made a declaration of hyposufficiency to the Federal Public Defender's Office (DPU) in the hope of getting help from Itamaraty.
Contacted by g1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) reported that, although proof of financial insufficiency is a necessary requirement, it alone is not enough for the government to pay for the return of Brazilians.
Itamaraty also reinforced that the repatriation of Brazilians is an exceptional measure and does not constitute an automatic right.
According to the NGO, Brazilians were lured to Thailand with false promises of employment and, subsequently, subjected to exploitation and forced to carry out scams against victims in Brazil.
First, the group was taken from Cambodia, in Southeast Asia, and then to the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, on August 19, after a police operation against a network of virtual scams.
Also according to Itamaraty, a mission from the Embassy in Maputo in Mozambique, where the nearest consulate is located, will be sent to Madagascar to provide in-person consular assistance to the group.
Sisters were lured by alleged job in a beauty salon
Among the group's members are two women from Uberaba, in the Triângulo Mineiro, who traveled believing they would work in a beauty salon.
"One of my sisters is a hairdresser and received an offer to work in a beauty salon in Thailand. The other received an offer to work as a receptionist. They left Brazil with the promise of working abroad", reported the brother of the two trafficked women from Uberaba.
According to their brother, the family is unable to pay for return tickets, which cost approximately R$5,500 to São Paulo, in addition to the subsequent journey to Minas Gerais.
The NGO states that the family members of the two women contacted the Federal Public Defender's Office (DPU) and confirmed the situation of hyposufficiency.
According to the organization, as there is evidence that Brazilians have been victims of international human trafficking, the Brazilian State should guarantee protection and conditions for their safe return.
The entity also states that Brazil is a signatory to the Palermo Protocol, promulgated by Decree No. 5,017/2004, and that the government has specific procedures for the assistance and eventual repatriation of Brazilian victims of international trafficking.
"Therefore, we are questioning the reason why the repatriation has not yet been carried out and what concrete measures the Itamaraty is adopting to guarantee the safe return of these Brazilians to Brazil", declared the NGO.
What the Itamaraty says
According to Itamaraty, Brazilian legislation establishes a series of criteria and requirements so that the government can finance the return of a Brazilian who is abroad.
Among them is the presentation of the declaration of hyposufficiency issued by the Federal Public Defender's Office. It is also assessed whether the citizen has already been repatriated previously.
The ministry, however, states that these elements are "necessary, but not sufficient" to carry out repatriation.
Alternatives to make the return viable are also analyzed, such as help from family, friends, employers or support networks in Brazil and abroad.
According to Itamaraty, official repatriation programs available in the country where the Brazilian is located can also be considered.
The organization also detailed that there are more than 5 million Brazilians living outside the country. Among the demands of a consular nature are assistance to citizens in situations of deprivation, assistance to detained Brazilians and assistance in situations of natural catastrophes, conflicts and political crises.
Embassy monitors situation
The Brazilian Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique, is responsible for consular assistance related to Madagascar, as Brazil does not have an embassy resident in the Malagasy capital, Antananarivo.
According to Itamaraty, the diplomatic representation was informed on August 21 about the situation of the Brazilians and, since then, has maintained contact with them and local authorities.
The objective, according to the ministry, is to obtain information about the personal and procedural situation of Brazilians and ensure respect for their rights, including contradictory rights and broad defense.
Brazilians are without passports
After the police operation against the exploitation network, the Brazilians were released, but remained without their passports, according to reports obtained by Exodus Road Brazil.
The NGO advised them not to leave the airport due to the risk of being pursued by the criminal organization. They were later welcomed by a local organization and taken to a house, where they remain.
Missionaries and other local entities have provided food and basic items while the case is monitored and alternatives for returning to Brazil are discussed.
According to one of the family members, the passports would only be returned after purchasing tickets to Brazil.
Victims of a human trafficking network
Exodus Road Brazil claims that Brazilians were victims of a network of human trafficking and exploitation to apply virtual scams.
The organization, however, emphasizes that it is not possible to say that all 23 members of the group are victims of trafficking, and it is up to the Brazilian authorities to investigate each person's situation individually.
The organization claims that Brazilians were forced to carry out scams, such as false approaches on behalf of the Federal Police and the so-called "love scam", in which criminals establish fictitious relationships with victims to obtain money.
The group would have remained in an exploration situation for around five months before being taken from Cambodia to Madagascar.
Warning about fake job offers
Itamaraty itself states that it has been warning Brazilians since 2022 about the risks of accepting job offers abroad without verifying the origin of the proposals.
According to the ministry, a consular warning about the solicitation of Brazilians was published that year and updated in the following years. The most recent version, from July 2026, specifically addresses risks related to human trafficking into Southeast Asia.
According to Exodus Road Brazil, proposals with high salaries, airline tickets, housing and the promise of a better life are used by criminal networks to attract people to other countries.
"It's a vulnerability and a dream. I dream of having a better life, I dream of buying a house, I dream of traveling, I dream of having a good salary", said Cintia Meirelles, representative of the NGO.
