Disaster Response

Attention drivers in the Vales, Serra and Central regions! I signed the orders to begin important road repair works and the construction of new bridges in Rio Grande do Sul. The interventions cover stretches of ERS-124, RSC-453, ERS-355 and ERS-241, as well as new bridges over the Não Sabia stream in Vista Alegre do Prata and over the Ibicuí Mirim River in Dilermando de Aguiar. This is more than R$ 221 million in investments to restore structures affected by the 2024 rains, including embankment reconstruction, retaining structures, drainage, pavement restoration and construction of new bridges. It is reconstruction that returns safety, mobility and better travel conditions to those who live and produce in these regions. The reconstruction by the State turns the challenges left by climatic events into concrete works and into more infrastructure for the future. The work continues so that our roads and bridges are increasingly safe, resilient and prepared for what lies ahead.

I'm in one of the cities in Rio Grande do Sul most affected by the infamous 2024 flood.

It's in difficult moments that we really get to know who is who. And the little gang that most claim to defend the poor abandoned the Gaúchos in the mud... @marcelvanhattem https://t.co/sI6GBr20eW

The important thing is to say that, for other matters that occur, we are entirely at your disposal, Ricardo; the mayors here in the region are at your disposal with all solidarity.

It is a duty, it is the duty of the State to support the municipalities, to help families with humanitarian assistance, with the restoration of essential services, and with reconstruction.

The reconstruction of Rio Grande do Sul requires more than recovering what was lost. It needs to prepare the State to face the challenges of the future. It was with this purpose that we are holding today, in Porto Alegre, the International Seminar "Rebuild Better", bringing together specialists, international organizations and public officials to share experiences and build solutions focused on climate resilience. The initiative is a partnership between our Secretariat for Reconstruction and @DefesaCivilRS, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction @UNDRR, and the Inter-American Development Bank @bidbr. In times of so many opinions and easy answers, we have the responsibility to make decisions guided by science, by data and by technical expertise. That is how we will make the best investments, strengthen our institutions and build public policies capable of outlasting governments, protecting lives and making Rio Grande do Sul increasingly prepared for the climate events to come.

My full solidarity with the people of Venezuela at this very difficult time. Entire families living through the anguish of searching for missing persons, communities destroyed, and thousands of people awaiting aid amid a devastating tragedy. Unfortunately, scenes like this have become increasingly frequent in a world marked by ever more intense extreme events. Let us never become accustomed to tragedies of this magnitude. And let us never fail to recognize the urgency of protecting lives in the face of this new reality.

We have been discussing a lot the structure of our Fire Department.