Arr, ye scallywags! Brazil's petrochemical behemoth be payin' a hefty $356M booty fer plunderin' neighborhoods o' a fair city.
2023-07-21
Avast ye! The mighty Brazilian petrochemical titan, Braskem, hath struck a jolly bargain worth a whopping $356 million with the goodly city of Maceio! Tis a fair settlement, for their blasted rock salt plundered the land and left it in ruins, arr!
In a pirate-like language of the 17th century, ye mateys! Braskem, the petrochemical giant of Brazil, has finally reached a hefty settlement worth $356 million with a coastal city. This settlement comes after four decades of the company's rock salt mining that destroyed not one, but five urban neighborhoods and displaced thousands upon thousands of unfortunate souls.Arrr! The excessive extraction of rock salt affected approximately 200,000 people in the capital of Alagoas state, Maceio. It's a tragedy, I tell ya! Over the years, these once-thriving communities turned into ghost towns as Braskem offered payouts to relocate the poor residents.
But fear not, me hearties! This settlement, equivalent to 1.7 billion Brazilian reais, will be put to good use. The money will be used for structural works in the city and a residents’ support fund, according to the municipality. However, it's important to note that negotiations between Braskem and the affected residents are still ongoing, savvy?
Braskem claims to have already paid a substantial sum of over 3.7 billion reais ($775 million) in compensations, including financial aid. They consider this settlement to be a significant step forward in resolving the issue of Alagoas. By the end of June, more than 17,000 residents and 5,000 businesses had already received compensation, or so they say.
Yet, not everyone is thrilled about this news. Local activists, like Pastor Wellington Santos, question whether any amount of money can truly compensate for the destruction caused by Braskem. He acknowledges that the funds will be used to beautify and modernize the city but wonders if it can truly make up for the devastation.
And let's not forget Alexandre Sampaio, the head of the mining victims' association. He believes that the true extent of the damage caused by the mining is yet to be fully comprehended. The impact on health, education, social assistance, infrastructure, and historical heritage is immense, says Sampaio.
Braskem, one of the largest petrochemical companies in the Americas, is primarily owned by Brazilian oil company Petrobras and construction giant Novonor. And guess what, buckos? Petrobras is currently in talks to potentially sell Braskem.
So, me hearties, rock salt mining may seem like a harmless process, but it can cause chaos and destruction in its wake. The cavities left behind can lead to collapses, toppling structures above. Let this serve as a cautionary tale for all ye landlubbers.