Lula government repatriates more than a thousand Brazilians who were in Lebanon

With the arrival this Monday (14), at Guarulhos Airport (SP), of the fifth flight with Brazilian families rescued from Lebanon, the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva counts the repatriation of 1,105 people and 14 pets.

In this fifth flight of Operation Raízes do Cedro, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) KC-30 aircraft brought 220 repatriates, including ten infants and two pets.

In the first rescue, on the 6th, the group with 229 passengers and three pets was received by President Lula.

“I hope you find in Brazil the happiness that took away from you with this bombing. And may we rebuild our lives in peace here in Brazil. You know that Brazil has around eight or nine million Arabs and descendants, most of them Lebanese”, said the president at the time.

Read more: Lebanon repatriation flight postponed due to lack of security

He also highlighted the contribution of this population to the country. “We are grateful, because you helped build the city of São Paulo, the state of São Paulo and Brazil. You have a lot of responsibility for what we are”, he recalled.

As soon as they left the aircraft, the passengers on the fifth flight were welcomed by professionals working for the Ministry of Social Development and Combating Hunger, the SUS National Force, the Federal Police and the Federal Revenue Service. On technical scales in Lisbon, the operation was supported by the Embassy, ​​via the Consulate General and Defense Attaché in the Portuguese capital.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the aircraft took the fourth load of Brazilian donations to Lebanon, with 1,400 basic food baskets and 6,900 packages of various medicines collected by the United for Lebanon Association (UpL).

“Itamaraty, through the Brazilian Embassy in Beirut, is in contact with Brazilians and their close family members to provide them with consular assistance and verify the need to promote a new repatriation flight, depending on the security conditions on the ground,” he says. the folder.

The ministry also reiterates its warning for everyone to follow the security guidelines of local authorities and, for those who have the resources to do so, to try to leave Lebanese territory by their own means. Beirut airport continues to operate and the Lebanese company Middle East Airlines has increased its number of flights.

The Itamaraty consular duty numbers are still available, if necessary, both via WhatsApp: +55 (61) 98260-0610 and +55 61 98313-0146.