Second flight for return of Chileans from Venezuela also brought Argentine citizens

Fifty-seven compatriots, among them a girl just two months old, and eight Argentine citizens living in Venezuela, landed in our country this Tuesday. This is the second flight of the Air Force in less than a month, which brings back Chileans to their homeland.

The Fach flight traveled Monday to Port-au-Prince, taking 179 Haitian citizens in the framework of the Government's Ordered Humanitarian Return Plan. On his return, he stopped in Caracas for Chilean citizens and their families to be approached as part of the Foreign Ministry's permanent aid program for those in difficulty outside Chile.

The transfer of Argentine citizens, meanwhile, was an initiative discussed between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries. Chile offered its help considering the availability of FACh flights. Today, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Argentine Embassy, Carlos Mascías, attended to receive them. He thanked the Chilean Government for the gesture of bringing eight Argentines who will return to their homeland in the next few hours on another flight.

After the landing, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolina Valdivia, welcomed everyone at FACh's Grupo 10 air base and learned some of their stories. "They are adults, young people, also children, who come with great hope to reestablish themselves in our country. This is our program of Attention to Chileans Abroad and we have conducted it from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but also with the collaboration of other services and state agencies," she said.

The complex humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has motivated many Chileans to return to their homeland. During this year, this initiative has already helped to return 230 compatriots who did not have the means to do so and who have been reunited with their families this year.

To qualify for the benefit, they had to express their willingness to return and have a family member or close friend in Chile who would commit to help them settle in Chile.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also been concerned that Chileans have the best reception on their return to the country and that is why the Secretary of State stated that "we are working in the interministerial committee of Chileans abroad and we have worked with different undersecretaries and services to provide them with everything they need".