SANTIAGO (Reuters) – A stranger disguised as Batman is prowling the streets of Santiago delivering food to the homeless, providing sustenance and light-hearted solace to those in need following months of lockdown in the Chilean capital.

The man, who wears a shiny batman suit complete with a coronavirus-ready sanitary facemask, delivers a few dozen plates of hot food to homeless people throughout the South American capital on a regular basis.

He said he prefers not to be identified.

“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”, he said, adding the disguise was meant to bring good cheer and unite.

Restrictions aimed at stemming the spread of coronavirus have devastated Chile’s economy. Unemployment has sky rocketed to over 12% in Chile, breaking a decade-long record, and much of the capital Santiago continues to operate at half mast.

And despite the Batman suit, Simon Salvador, one of the recipients, said the true sentiment was clear.

“It is appreciated…from one human to another,” Salvador said.

(Reporting by Reuters TV, writing by Fabian Cambero and Dave Sherwood; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

Copyright 2020 Thomson Reuters.