Brasília – Escalating violence in Syria has led the government of Brazil to devise an evacuation plan for Brazilians living in the country. The plan provides for 3,000 people to be removed from Syria and taken to a safe area outside the country, and for the shutting down of the Brazilian embassy in Damascus. The plan will be put to work as soon as Brazilian authorities come to the conclusion that violence has escaped control.
The operation’s details have not been disclosed for security reasons. For the time being, the embassy is operating normally, although this Thursday (19th) it will perform internal work only. The governments of several countries, including European and Asiatic ones, have already shut down their embassies in Syria. However, the Brazilian government considers the measure too drastic, and thus avoids it.
The government’s plan provides for Brazilians to be evacuated by land, using a road connecting Syria to Lebanon which is considered to be in good conditions. The evacuation date is left blank and will depend on whether the crisis gets worse, and episodes similar to those seen yesterday take place.
The Brazilian ambassador to Syria, Edgard Cassiano, called on the Ministry of Foreign Relations (Itamaraty) to ramp up security surrounding the Brazilian embassy to Damascus in the Eastern Villat, a high-end neighbourhood in the Syrian capital.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
