On May 7, in the face of the tragedy that devastated Rio Grande do Sul, a Rio Grande do Sul native in Portugal launched a challenge, so that donations could be made, under the premise that a plane would take them to Brazil. 

For days, warehouses throughout the country were filling up, until the organization SOS RS in Portugal announced that it would no longer accept donations. 

In total, more than 200 tons of goods were collected, which, after all, did not have a plane to transport them. 

The case is taking on diplomatic proportions, as several voices have joined together to request a plane, whether from Brazil or Portugal. 

Pablo Marçal, a well-known Brazilian businessman, politician and digital influencer, made a video that reached the Brazilian government, leading to a reaction from the Air Force. 

In an interview on Saturday, the 11th, Lieutenant General Marcelo Damasceno announced that the donations would be taken by a plane from the Portuguese Air Force (FAP), since it would not be feasible to transport the donations by planes from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) because it would take 35 hours. In that time, he explained, the FAB could transport more than 150 tons within its own territory and deliver them to the Rio Grande do Sul capital.

However, and in statements to Notícias ao Minuto, a source from the FAP guarantees that it does not have "data that allows this transport to be confirmed".

In turn, the Brazilian Embassy in Lisbon and Porto, which initially interfered with responsibilities in this case, is already organizing the logistics of the donations. 

In statements to Correio Braziliense, Raimundo Carreiro, Brazilian ambassador to Portugal, guarantees that the objective is to identify all donation reception points and calculate their weight, so that, as soon as the means of transport are defined, everything can reach the people of Rio Grande do Sul more quickly, who are facing the greatest climate tragedy in Brazilian history.

"In the face of this network of solidarity, we are making every possible effort so that all donations reach Rio Grande do Sul", he emphasized, stressing, however, the preference for financial donations. 

The Notícias ao Minuto contacted the organization SOS RS Portugal and the Brazilian Embassy in Lisbon and is awaiting a response. 

The storms began fifteen days ago and have not stopped. In southern Brazil, the death toll has reached 148, with 127 missing, and 2.1 million people affected in 447 of the 497 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul, where there are almost 81 thousand people in shelters and half a million displaced.

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