Shark fins on Vietnamese embassy roof in Chile bought by diplomat's relative: statement

By Anh Ngoc   January 23, 2018 | 01:12 am PT
Shark fins on Vietnamese embassy roof in Chile bought by diplomat's relative: statement
A screen capture of El Mostrador's report showing shark fins put to dry on the roof of Vietnamese embassy in Providencia, Chile.
The official statement by the embassy claims the fins were purchased at a market in Santiago.

The Vietnamese embassy in Chile has confirmed that a picture of dozens of shark fins being dried on the roof of the embassy is genuine, and that they had been bought by a relative of one of its diplomats.

The relative had bought the fins at a market in Santiago and planned to cook them for the family, a statement issued on Tuesday said.

The confirmation comes a day after Vietnam’s trade ministry asked the foreign ministry to verify a report that hundreds of shark fins were causing a stench on the roof of the Vietnam Commerce Office.

Chilean newspaper El Mostrador published photos of the shark fins drying on the embassy roof on Friday.

It said some fins had been there since January 13 and people living in nearby buildings had been complaining about the smell.

Chile passed a nationwide ban on shark finning in 2011.

According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), nearly 100 million sharks are killed each year, and the global shark fin trade is largely responsible for their decimation.

The expensive shark fin soup is favored by many people in Vietnam based on traditional beliefs that it can help with rejuvenation, appetite enhancement and blood nourishment.

 
 
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