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Brazil strike scuttles Lankans’ Rotary show travel plans
View(s):More than 150 Sri Lankans who are scheduled to travel to Brazil to attend a gala Rotary Club event are kicking their heels waiting for visas due to a career civil servants’ strike which has crippled much of the consular activities of Brazil’s missions abroad.
The Brazilian Embassy in Colombo sent a notice to travel agents and applicants informing them that due to a general strike in the Foreign Services, its embassy “will not be able to process any visa applications until further notice,” and that new applications should be sent to the Visa Section of the Embassy of Brazil in New Delhi, India.
The Sri Lankans planned to travel to Sao Paulo in Brazil to witness the induction of K. R. Ravindran, who is the first Sri Lankan to become a Rotary International President. But their visas have been delayed due to the strike. Some are now planning to travel to New Delhi to try and get their visas on time.
The 106th Rotary International Convention to be held in Sao Paulo between June 6 and 9 is expected to be attended by more than 7,200 people from around the world but the local travel agent handling the group tour said given the state of affairs, many may not be able to travel in time for the date.