The governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite, stated this Wednesday (1st) to President Lula that the state is experiencing a "war situation" due to the heavy rains that have left ten dead and 21 missing since Monday.
"I emphasized that we need the effective and full participation of the Armed Forces in coordinating this moment, which is like a war. We don't have an enemy to fight, but we have many obstacles to overcome and we need the intervention of the Forces," Leite wrote on social media after calling the president.
In response, Lula scheduled a trip to Rio Grande do Sul for this Thursday (2) to monitor the rescue efforts and define emergency actions for the state.
"We will send as many men to Rio Grande do Sul as necessary to help. If it's only 30, we will send 60, 90, 100. There is no limit to the number of people we will send to help," Lula told Leite in an excerpt from the call.