President Lula announced bold measures for flood relief in Rio Grande do Sul in response to the devastating floods that claimed 149 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands. On his third visit to the affected area, Lula introduced a new ministry for reconstruction and unveiled a comprehensive aid package, including the “Reconstruction Voucher” worth 5,100 reais to help 200,000 severely affected families. The government will prioritize residents in cities under a state of calamity and those whose homes were flooded.
The aid will be distributed through beneficiaries’ accounts by the government, and resources will be managed by the Extraordinary Secretariat for Rio Grande do Sul’s Reconstruction led by Paulo Pimenta. The plan encompasses repairing infrastructure, providing housing for displaced residents, and allocating over 60.7 billion reais for relief efforts in the region.
International support from various organizations and countries has poured in to aid in the relief efforts. President Lula emphasized the importance of unity and cooperation in speeding up relief efforts, condemning misinformation and promoting bipartisan collaboration with conservative governor Eduardo Leite.