Chile: Man Dressed As Batman Feeds Homeless In Santiago

Clad in a shiny batman suit complete with COVID-19 safety precautions such as a facemask, the man has been delivering a few dozen plates of hot food to homeless people regularly across the South American capital.

"Look around you, see if you can dedicate a little time, a little food, a little shelter, a word sometimes of encouragement to those who need it," the man, who prefers not to be identified, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

The man, who dresses up as the comic book superhero Batman, added that the disguise is meant to bring good cheer. He daily cooks around 100 food rations, which he finance himself, and distributes it among neighbours and homeless people.

Simon Salvador, one of the recipients, said that despite the batman suit, the true sentiment was clear.

Chile's economy has been devastated by the restrictions put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. Amid this crisis, the poor sections of the society has been the worst-hit, with little or no means to sustain themselves.

With nearly four lakh COVID-19 cases reported in the country, Chile has been one of the worst-affected south American countries. While the country had not imposed a complete lockdown, in May, the whole city of Santiago was put under mandatory quarantine due to a spike in the number of cases. The unemployment rate in the country has also gone up to over 12 per cent, breaking a decade-long record.