International donations getting to RS faster than ever

The Federal Government continues to expedite the delivery of international donations—sent by governments, foreign individuals and aid organizations, and Brazilian communities around the world—to the flood victims in Rio Grande do Sul.

The ministries of Ports and Airports and Foreign Affairs—through the Brazilian Cooperation Agency, the Brazilian Embassy in Lisbon and the Brazilian Consulate in Miami—worked with donors and carriers Azul, Latam and Maersk to ship large quantities of donations from foreign donors and Brazilian communities in Portugal and the USA. Those efforts have been supported by many volunteers in networks of solidarity that have spontaneously coalesced in both countries.

On Saturday (18), three tons of donations sent from Florida by Brazilian communities in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando arrived in Campinas in an Azul Linhas Aéreas flight. From Campinas, the donations will be transported, free of charge, as part of Latam Airlines' Avião Solidário program, to Curitiba, from where they will be taken to Rio Grande do Sul.

On Saturday, the first 300 kg of donations collected by the Brazilian community in Lisbon arrived in Canoas from Portugal, also on a Latam flight. That flight also brought three tons of donations from all over Brazil. About nine tons of donations from the USA are on their way to Brazil on a Maersk ship.

Also on Saturday, the first of three aircraft carrying humanitarian aid from the United Arab Emirates and the Brazilian community in that country arrived in Guarulhos, São Paulo. According to the UAE Embassy in Brasilia, this first shipment brought 500 generators, 10,000 packages of mosquito nets, 10 tons of hygiene products, 10,000 blankets and 5,000 solar lamps. The second plane carrying donations from the United Arab Emirates is scheduled to take off this Monday (20/5).

On Sunday (19/5), Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira phoned UAE Chancellor Abdullah bin Zayed to thank him for the Emirati donations to Rio Grande do Sul.

SAMARITAN'S PURSE - Last week, donations shipped by American NGO Samaritan's Purse arrived in Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, consisting of 10 water purification stations with a capacity for 400,000 liters per hour, their materials and components, and other emergency items. The equipment can provide drinking water for up to 100,000 people. In addition to having the support of ABC/MRE, the operation included the participation of the Ministry of Defense, Civil Defense, the Federal Revenue Service (Receita Federal) and the Federal Police.

SIMPLIFICATION – The Federal Revenue Service is working to speed up the customs clearance of donations arriving from abroad through the "Fast Track Revenue" program, enabling accelerated transportation to Rio Grande do Sul. The entire procedure is operated by Receita Federal and by state and municipal governments. All donations coming this way are tax-exempt.