SANTIAGO, (Reuters) – Chile is considering taking in dozens of families fleeing Syria’s civil war, the foreign minister was quoted as saying yesterday, as pressure on countries to welcome more refugees grew after the publication of an image of a drowned Syrian toddler.
“It’s a situation that is being evaluated. The government is deeply worried about this humanitarian situation,” Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz was quoted saying in the Chilean daily La Tercera.
Munoz could not be reached immediately yesterday for comment.
La Tercera reported that the left-leaning government of Michelle Bachelet was studying a plan proposed by a former minister of Syrian descent for at least 50 to 100 refugee families to be settled in Chile.
If the plan is approved, Chile would join Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia as South American hosts of Syrian refugees.
