Chile’s government thanks Portugal for sending firefighting forces

Chile’s foreign minister thanked Portugal this Sunday for sending 144 troops to support firefighting in the country, stressing that it is one of the largest contingents involved in the mission.

“This is one of the largest support forces in fighting the fires that we are suffering in the south,” Antonia Urrecola said at a reception for the Portuguese security and civil protection units, which was also attended by the Portuguese ambassador to Chile.

The Joint Task Force (Faucon) consists of 144 operatives from the National Emergency Management and Civil Protection (ANChS), Special Civil Protection Forces (SPF) ANEPC, the National Republican Guard, the Institute of Nature Conservation and Forestry, fire protection. teams in the area of ​​Lisbon and the Tagus Valley and the National Institute of Emergency Medicine (INEM).

António Urrecola recalled that “the history of cooperation with Portugal comes from the past” and that Chile also recently sent aid to extinguish forest fires in Portugal.

“We are very grateful to Portugal, its people, its government and, above all, each of the people who, starting today, will go” to the areas affected by the fires, the Chilean official said.

Portugal’s ambassador to Chile, Carlos de Sousa Amaro, said “this is the largest group” the country has sent abroad on such a mission, which is “proof of the solidarity between the two countries”.

With the arrival of the Portuguese contingent, it grows to more than 750 military personnel, firefighters and specialists from countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Italy, Mexico and Venezuela, engaged in fighting forest fires.

A wave of fires in the center and south of the country has already killed 24 people, devastated more than 417,000 hectares and destroyed 1,478 houses.

So far, 31 people have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the arson.