The foreign minister said he did not know the Israeli ambassador who met with Bolsonaro
Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira stated that all efforts to free Brazilians had been made by the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT). The Brazilian chancellor said he did not know the Israeli ambassador who met with former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
He gave an interview with journalists this Sunday (11/12/2023) in Brasília to talk about Operation Returning in Peace.
The 32 Brazilians who were in the Gaza Strip will arrive in Cairo, Egypt, this Sunday (11/12/2023). They will stay in a hotel in the capital and leave for Brazil on Monday (November 13th, 2023) at around 11:50 a.m. (local time). You should arrive in Brasília around 11:30 p.m.
“All efforts to free all Brazilians have been carried out from the beginning, since the 7th, by the government of President Lula, at his direction, under daily surveillance. I was the interlocutor for all countries involved and that led to the successful conclusion of this agreement. That’s what I can say and that’s what exists,” the minister said.
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The opposition to Lula’s government had said that Israel’s decision to authorize the departure of the group of Brazilians from the Gaza Strip was thanks to Bolsonaro. The former head of Brazil’s executive branch met with Israeli Ambassador to Brazil Daniel Zonshine and rightwing congressmen in the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday (November 8).
Mauro Vieira said that the repatriation work was carried out by the Lula government and that it was “moreover misinformation.”
According to Vieira, the Brazilian government is in contact with authorities from Israel, Palestine, Egypt and Qatar to ensure the success of Operation Returning in Peace. He spoke of the “successful conclusion” of the agreement between the countries involved to repatriate Brazilians.
OPERATION
Mauro Vieira thanked the “active” participation of the Brazilian embassies in the region. He said the operation was completed “successfully” and the Brazilians were housed for three weeks and assisted in transport to Egypt.
“They must arrive in Cairo after a land journey of almost six hours and then leave tomorrow morning on a plane made available by the Presidency of the Republic since the beginning of the conflicts.” “This plane has been waiting in Cairo for almost a month for these Brazilians” , he said.
It will be the tenth repatriation flight from Brazil. According to the minister, 1,500 people came to Brazil. “With our arrival in Brasília tomorrow, we have finally completed this stage with great satisfaction,” he explained.
The Ministries of Justice and Social Development will work to “support” Brazilians arriving in the country. Vieira said the conflict situation was still “very serious.”
He argued that President Lula remains “very involved in resolving” the war and that the intention is to return to the United Nations Security Council starting this week to “find a path to cessation of hostilities” and create a “humanitarian pause.” to find.