Minister for Foreign Affairs Giulio Terzi described himself as “deeply struck by the tragic news from Santa Maria, and by the dimensions the tragedy is assuming in terms of human lives involved”, and he expressed his “most heartfelt and sincere condolences”, to his Brazilian colleague Antonio Patriota following the incident in a discotheque in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul.
“Our two nations are bound by solid ties of friendship and brotherhood”, the minister underscored, “and in the region where this happened there is a sizeable and well-integrated Italian community. That community, as well as all the Italian people, now shares in the pain and tragedy of what those families are going through”.
Expressing sentiments of deep solidarity and friendship, “at such a sad moment for the Brazilian people”, Terzi assured Minister Patriota that the Italian Embassy in Brasilia and the Italian consular network, “are at the disposal of the Brazilian authorities and ready to collaborate in any way necessary”.
The minister instructed the foreign ministry’s Crisis Unit to maintain constant contact with the Rio Grande do Sul authorities through the Italian diplomatic authorities in Brazil, with a view to ascertaining the eventual presence of Italian citizens among the victims.
