BRAZILIAN BORDER & VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANTS

ANGRY residents of the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima ran riot and drove out Venezuelans immigrants on one Saturday last after a -

Local restaurant owner was stabbed and beaten, residents and government officials said.

The demonstration forced hundreds of Venezuelans to flee back across the frontier on foot and residents set fire to the belongings they left behind and to tires to block the only road crossing between the teo countries,  video images released by the state of Roraima government showed.

The outburst anger was sparked by the robbery and severe beating of a resident in his home on Friday night by four Venezuelans, Roraima state security Guiliana Castro  said by telephone.

The four Venezuelan suspects stole 23,000 reals [$5,800] from the restaurant owner, identified only as Raimundo.

He suffered head injuries and was taken to hospital unconscious but was reported to be out of danger, said Castro, who is also the head of the state's police force.

After crossing back into their country, Venezuelan migrants attacked a group of 30 Brazilians who were shopping across the border and who had to be taken to a shelter Castro said.

Venezuelan government expressed concerns about reports of attacks on its citizens and a ''massive eviction'' of Venezuelans, and asked Brazil to guarantee their safety.

A foreign ministry statement said the violence was fueled by xenophobia.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have poured over the border into Roraima state over the past few years, fleeing economic and  political turmoil in their country.

The influx has overwhelmed the state's social services and brought a rise in crime, prostitution and disease, and has sparked incidents of xenophobia, Brazilian government officials say. [Agencies]