Minister Antonia Urrejola thanked the international aid to fight forest fires

At a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Antonia Urrejola thanked the countries and international organisations that have helped Chile in the fight against the forest fires that have affected the central-southern region.

The Minister stressed that "our country has received moving expressions of support from the international community, which we would like to highlight and thank, especially today".

She also noted that "the rapid deployment to our country of fire-fighting aircraft and hundreds of international brigades from South America, North America and Europe, who, with the support of their States, the diplomatic representations in Chile, present here, quickly made their expertise and equipment available to our authorities, was undoubtedly fundamental in this work".

The activity was attended by the diplomatic representatives of the countries and international organisations that have supported Chile. The Undersecretary of International Economic Relations, José Miguel Ahumada; the Undersecretary (s) of Foreign Affairs, Alex Wetzig; the Executive Director of CONAF, Christian Little, and the Deputy Director (s) of Management and Strategic Development of SENAPRED, Dafne Núñez, also participated.

The Mexican Ambassador to Chile, Alicia Bárcena, said that helping in the fight against forest fires "has been like a reunion. Mexico was the first country to arrive in Chile in 1939, after that terrible earthquake (...) That is why that region is very dear to us, the Biobío, La Araucanía, the south of Chile, the whole of Chile is dear to us".