The SSCC parish of the Annunciation in Santiago (Chile) came to the aid of a hundred Venezuelans who have been camping outside the embassy of their country for a week, requesting a humanitarian flight from their government to return to his homeland. The embassy is close to the parish.
"The parish opened a large hall to offer them restroom services, dining rooms, blankets and a welcome for women and children, for whom spending the night outdoors is difficult”, said the pastor Fr. Eduardo Pérez Cotapos-Larraín, sscc.
“There are many older people who also need help, but as a result of the pandemic, we cannot do much for them. We have to be responsible for everyone while trying to comply with all the protocol measures. We have tried to be careful with the accommodation and with who stays," he added.
Many of the Venezuelans who are staying on the outskirts of the embassy do not have the money to cover rent or their basic needs, so the parish is providing help in different areas. "The psychological and emotional situation is very complicated, we have seen many people getting tense, arguments begin, the people do not want to respect the safety rules, they take off the masks, but thank God, CESFAM has helped us a lot in the sector, as has the municipality of Providencia, the Latin American parish and other Venezuelans who reside near the parish sector provide merchandise, "said the pastor.
The Metropolitan Government has ruled out opening a shelter for Venezuelan citizens who intend to return to their country in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
05/17/2020