25 FEB22- 🚸 "Some Ecuadorians were evacuated from Ukraine and are already in Poland. This was announced today by the Foreign Minister of Ecuador, Juan Carlos Holguín. Until Thursday, the Foreign Ministry recorded a total of 702 compatriots residing in Ukraine.

Holguín pointed out, in an interview on WQ radio, that for security reasons he cannot reveal the exact number of compatriots who have been taken to the border. "Today, several of them are already in Poland," he confirmed. Ecuador managed to get Poland to accept the entry of compatriots without a Schengen visa,

even "regardless of whether they were vaccinated or not vaccinated." There are some territories in Ukraine "where the situation has been calmer, therefore, there was the possibility of making transfers, there were operations in Ukraine at night," Holguín said.

"There are other cities like Kiev “where we still have to hope that these humanitarian corridors can exist. We are working with the (International) Red Cross to be able to establish when is the safe time to make the transfers," he clarifies.

On February 24 alone, the Foreign Ministry issued more than 125 emergency passports, it adds. The Foreign Minister reiterates that in some Ukrainian cities "it is not possible to guarantee the safety of citizens".

They are still waiting to activate a humanitarian corridor , which "is a negotiation agreed with the parties involved in the conflict, to guarantee that when people are being transported, who have to be evacuated in a war situation, there is no possibility of their security being violated," he explains.

A humanitarian corridor is important to prevent "they can bomb the sector through which they transit or that they can take them as hostages of war."

At the moment, according to Holguín, the contingency plan is in phase one , that is, getting Ecuadorians to move to the borders with Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.

Once there, the Foreign Ministry will start phase two , the voluntary return to Ecuador through internal routes since flights in Ukraine are restricted.

"Or in the event that a humanitarian flight is needed , if conditions allow it," Holguín said. Meanwhile, a team from the Foreign Ministry arrived today in Warsaw (Poland) and Bratislava (Slovakia), in addition to reinforcing the Embassy in Hungary to serve Ecuadorians, the official said." -

https://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/politica/ucrania-ecuatorianos-evacuacion-polonia-guerra-rusia.html