President Galo Plaza Lasso has indicated that Ecuador would be willing to help solve the acute Shanghai refugee crisis by accepting 100 families from among the 5,000 Jewish refugees who have long been marooned in the Chinese port city.
In a special audience with the President, HIAS representatives Dr. Henry Shoskes and Oscar Rocca suggested the plan as an emergency measure because of the extreme plight of the refugees in the beleaguered city. President Lasso expressed himself in favor of “such a humanitarian solution,” and immediately authorized his Foreign Minister to establish visa figures according to Ecuadorian absorptive capacity. The President also asked for speed in arranging the emergency program.
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