Federal government talks about aid to areas affected by the rains
After flying over municipalities in southern Bahia, affected by the heavy rains that have been devastating the region, President Jair Bolsonaro spoke about the actions that the federal government is taking to help the population. “We are supporting the Federal Highway Police, all our ministries, Civil Defense”, he said. He spoke again about the release, by Caixa, of resources from the Employment Compensation Fund (FGTS) in a maximum of five days, for homeless people in cities in a state of disaster recognized by the federal government. The announcement had already been made this Saturday (12) by the president of the bank, Pedro Guimarães.
Jair Bolsonaro highlighted that the main investment that will be made, at the moment, is emergency and encompasses the issue of FGTS, recovery of roads and bridges, rescue, reconstruction of destroyed houses, supply of water and food. “Our presence is an act of solidarity with the people of Bahia”, he said.
The Minister of Regional Development, Rogério Marinho, informed that since the end of November, at the beginning of the rains, he has been in contact with the Civil Defense of Bahia and Minas Gerais. “Here in Bahia, we have already released almost R$ 6 million and we have established a control and monitoring center for disasters in Itamaraju and another in Minas Gerais”. Marinho said that steps are being taken, both with regard to the issue of immediate short-term response, in terms of the need for food, blankets, medicines, and in the medium-term, which involves the resumption of essential services that were interrupted and later reconstruction of the infrastructure of the municipalities. He added that a corps of Civil Defense engineers will go to Bahia tomorrow (13) to help the mayors prepare the reconstruction projects. “We have nine more work plans under analysis and there are 24 municipalities in the state of Bahia able to present coping and emergency projects. The BRL 6 million is just the beginning of the process”.
The Ministry of Defense is coordinating efforts in joint action. The Navy, for example, deployed aircraft to the region. A precursor of the Marine Corps troops is on hand to support the municipalities in actions to rescue, search and rescue people in displaced areas. A large operation is also set up in the north of Espírito Santo, with the Bahia airfield ship, capable of providing a hospital and assistance, should the rainy situation evolve. The vessel could also be an air base to support the transport of medicines to the south of Bahia. The ministry is also seeking to re-establish links with the southern region of Bahia. Army and Air Force participate in logistical support.
strategic inputs
The Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, said that the portfolio adds to the actions of other ministries in the area of public health, "bringing strategic inputs to support this health emergency that follows the catastrophe and we are acting together with the health authorities of states and municipalities to provide adequate health care to the affected municipalities”.
The Minister of Citizenship, João Roma, thanked the efforts of all those involved in actions to help victims of heavy rains. "There are many actions that we are acting in a coordinated way by the federal government." More than 30,000 food baskets are already being sent to the homeless in the logistical support of the Army and more than 60 reception centers to house the population have been set up, quoted Roma. He also referred to initiatives by volunteers from civil society and religious entities, discarding any possibility of the political aspect of the actions. "It is regrettable that, at a time like this, many people try to use this moment of pain for our population." He reiterated that this is not a time for dispute or party political ideology. “It is a moment of joining forces, in defense of the Bahian people”.
Text translated using artificial intelligence.
