With 227 rescued, FAB flight leaves Lebanon towards São Paulo
The KC-30 aircraft, from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), took off from Beirut, Lebanon, at 6:30 pm (local time) (12:30 pm Brasília time) this Monday (7) with 227 people rescued, including 49 children (7 lap), and three pets on board.
The plane will make a stop in Lisbon, Portugal, for refueling, and will proceed to the São Paulo Air Base, in Guarulhos (SP).
According to the Air Force commander, Air Lieutenant Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno, Operation Raízes do Cedro will be ongoing with the aim of repatriating around 500 Brazilians per week.
The expectation is that the new group of repatriates will arrive in Brazil on Tuesday (8), around 10 am.
It is estimated that 20 thousand Brazilians live in Lebanese territory. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE) counts around 3 thousand Brazilians who wish to leave the country, amid the escalation of military operations by the Israeli Armed Forces.
We will try to bring everyone who wants to come, says Lula about Brazilians in Lebanon
The president highlighted the importance of Arab culture for Brazil and the world, and criticized the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu
First phase
The first 229 repatriated Brazilians arrived on Sunday morning (6) at the São Paulo Air Base.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) welcomed the group. Shortly after disembarking, he gave a quick speech criticizing Israel’s position of “killing innocents, women and children, without any respect for human life”.
“Brazil is a generous country and does not have disputes with any country in the world because we do not want war. War only destroys. What builds is peace”, said the president.
