“The first symbols were animals,” wrote art critic John Berger. They were in the ancestral communities and they still are today. A symbol is, as its etymology also indicates, a set of things and ideas mixed together. That is why, sometimes, it is more effective than literality to communicate something. It also happens in extreme situations, like last week in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. In the midst of the catastrophic impact of floods that left more than 130 dead and almost 140 missing, the country mobilized on social networks for a horse trapped on a roof.
At first it was just an animal affected by the emergency in the municipality of Canoas, near Porto Alegre, but almost immediately it became a symbol, first of resistance, of the tenacity of the civil protection services and finally of hope. “Globo shows that the horse stranded in Canoas has not yet been rescued. Notice that there are also dogs located on top of other houses,” commented the youtuber Matty Bala when echoing the hashtag “Let’s save the Canoas horse.”
O Caramelo was rescued! Thanks to the mobilization of two volunteers and the Army, we managed to save more lives! pic.twitter.com/2s5bW6P6am
— Janja Lula Silva (@JanjaLula) May 9, 2024
In a matter of hours, everyone in Brazil who turned on the television or opened a media page knew that there was a caramel-colored equine in trouble. And precisely that is how he was baptized, Candy. Even Janja Lula, wife of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, rallied to him. “Candy “He was rescued!” he wrote. “Thanks to the mobilization of volunteers and the Army we managed to save another life!” The operation, which involved 17 people and eight barges, unleashed a trail of comments. “Brazil loves you!!! My God, what happiness, what pride of firefighters, soldiers and veterinarians. “He is sedated and goes in peace to save himself,” he wrote on influencer Felipe Neto, who was born in the affected area.
Candy,
Oh Brazil loves you!!!
My God, congratulations, and pride of the Corpo de Bombeiros, two soldiers who helped the operation and two veterinarians.
He is sedated and in peace to be saved. pic.twitter.com/NjmxkRA5zx
— Felipe Neto 🦉 (@felipeneto) May 9, 2024
Lula himself found out about the rescue through his wife’s message while announcing an increase in the federal government’s investment in the areas devastated by the floods, where 80% of the territory, bordering Uruguay and Argentina, was once submerged under water. There are more than one and a half million victims, thousands of homes destroyed, 165,000 people evicted from their homes and the destruction, after the joy for Candy, leaves a dramatic message of vulnerability. The region has suffered three deadly floods in one year due to torrential rains as a result of the El Niño phenomenon and was previously hit by a very serious drought. “Today [el miércoles] 25 tons of donations arrived in Rio Grande do Sul from the federal government, through the Brazilian Air Force. Medicines, water purifiers, basic baskets, mattresses and food. One of several trips made to help people in the gaucho town. The work continues,” said the Brazilian president, who visited the scene of the disaster twice.
We received 25 tons of donations for Rio Grande do Sul for the federal government, through the Brazilian Air Force. Medicines, water purifiers, basic baskets, mattresses and food. There are several trips that will be useful to help the poor. EITHER… pic.twitter.com/TlFr6YK6qh
— Lula (@LulaOficial) May 8, 2024
Added to the public aid was the mobilization of some of the most visible faces in the region, such as the model Gisele Bündchen, who was born in a rural municipality in the southern state. “People are not just losing their homes and jobs. They are losing everything,” she warns in a video in English broadcast on networks to ask for donations. Elon Musk himself, owner of “Given the terrible flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, Starlink will donate 1,000 terminals to emergency services and will make the use of all terminals in the region free of charge until the region recovers. I hope the best for the people of Brazil,” he assured. Nothing, however, shocked Brazilians as much as the rescue of Candy.
Given the terrible flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, @Starlink will donate 1000 terminals to emergency responders and make usage for all terminals in the region free until the region has recovered.
I hope the best for the people of Brazil. pic.twitter.com/NK6kjz7Iag
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2024
#horse #trapped #roof #hope #Brazil