Storms in RS: Lula embarks with Lira and Pacheco to monitor areas affected by the rains | Policy

Lula took off from the Brasília air base accompanied by the first lady, Janja da Silva, ministers and the presidents of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), and the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG). The delegation is scheduled to meet with governor Eduardo Leite (PSDB) in Porto Alegre. Ministers Paulo Pimenta (Secom) and Waldez Goés (Regional Integration) are already in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.

According to the Presidency’s office, 18 authorities embarked on Lula’s delegation, which included Minister Edson Fachin, of the Federal Supreme Court.

• Rodrigo Pacheco, president of the Senate
• Arthur Lira, president of the Chamber of Deputies
• Rui Costa, Minister of the Civil House
• Jose Múcio, Minister of Defense
• Fernando Haddad, Minister of Finance
• Renan Filho, Minister of Transport
• Silvio Costa Filho, Minister of Ports and Airports
• Camilo Santana, Minister of Education
• Nísia Trindade, Minister of Health
• Luiz Marinho, Minister of Labor
• Wellington Dias, Minister of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger
• Marina Silva, Minister of the Environment
• Jader Filho, Minister of Cities
• Márcio Macêdo, minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency
• Alexandre Padilha, minister of the Secretariat of Institutional Relations
• Edson Fachin, Minister of the Federal Supreme Court
• General Tomás Ribeiro Paiva, commander of the Army
• Bruno Dantas, president of the Federal Audit Court (TCU)

Until Saturday night, RS Civil Defense recorded 55 deaths due to the floods. Furthermore, more than 82,000 people were outside their homes – displaced or homeless – and around 350,000 were without electricity.

Lula went to the state on Thursday (2) and met with Leite. At the meeting, in the city of Santa Maria, the president said that there will be no shortage of resources or efforts from the federal government to help the population affected by the rains.

Rio Grande do Sul faces its fourth climate disaster in less than a year. In 2023, three events occurred in June, September and November, leaving a combined 75 deaths.

At the moment, after more than a week of rain, the rescue effort is concentrated in Porto Alegre and the metropolitan region, in the cities of Eldorado do Sul, Canoas and Guaíba.

In Porto Alegre, Guaíba overflowed its banks and advanced onto streets and avenues. The city’s bus station was flooded and travel was suspended. Salgado Filho Airport was closed “due to the high volume of rain”.