Agriculture says exploring potassium in the AM is essential – 06/04/2023 – Environment

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in the Lula government (PT) stated, in manifestations in process in the Federal Court of Amazonas, that the project of exploration of potash in the Amazon is strategic, essential and must receive priority treatment, with maximum celerity.

In the same process, Ibama (Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) reinforced the understanding that the competence for licensing the enterprise lies with the local environmental agency, and not with the federal sphere. The document attached to the file is dated January 12, 2023.

The two positions are in line with the posture of the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government, which treated the project in the Autazes region (AM), between the Madeira and Amazon rivers, as a priority.

In the Lula government, in addition to the Agriculture portfolio, the exploration of potassium is defended by the vice-president and minister of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, Geraldo Alckmin (PSB).

The past management tried to promote the validation of mining on indigenous lands, through a bill presented to Congress by the then Ministers Bento Albuquerque (Mines and Energy) and Sergio Moro (Justice and Public Security).

A Sheet, the president of Ibama, Rodrigo Agostinho, said that the body is still analyzing the case. “We still haven’t had access to the licensing process being conducted by the state. The topic is quite sensitive,” he said.

The company responsible for the attempt at mineral exploration in Autazes is Potássio do Brasil, a venture by the Canadian bank Forbes & Manhattan. The project has a direct impact on the Mura people, whose land is in the process of being demarcated.

In the ongoing action in the Federal Court, the MPF (Federal Public Ministry) in Amazonas accuses the company of co-opting indigenous people in an attempt to guarantee the potash business in the region. As a result of this co-option, the Court has already ordered the company to return a piece of land purchased from an indigenous person within a traditional territory.

The Mura Indigenous Council also pointed out that the Autazes municipal guard had acted, at the request of Potássio do Brasil, to intimidate indigenous people within one of the impacted territories.

The Justice had already determined the removal of company plates in the territory. On March 16, the MPF communicated to the Justice that a criminal representation was forwarded to investigate the permanence of the plaques and “violations of the traditional territory and the rights of the Mura people”.

The Attorney General’s Office asked for a fine of R$ 100,000, plus R$ 50,000 per day for non-compliance with the order to remove the signs.

On March 27, Potássio do Brasil communicated to the 1st Federal Court in Manaus, where the process is being processed, the removal of signs that indicated alleged ownership of the land.

“Despite the express authorization, given by Your Excellency, for the company to carry out the necessary acts for the security of the properties, Potássio do Brasil informs that it proceeded with the removal of the plaques from the land in question, leaving, once again, configured its good faith and cooperation in these records”, said the company.

Potássio do Brasil wants to explore potential potassium salt mines less than three kilometers from an indigenous land and has even operated within the territory, according to the MPF.

To try to guarantee mineral exploration in the Amazon, the company sought licensing from Ipaam (Amazon Environmental Protection Institute), the local environmental agency. For the Attorney General, the previous license issued in 2015 is illegal and all licensing must be done by Ibama. The Mura people, directly impacted by the business, have the same understanding.

The first demonstrations by federal agencies during the Lula government, during the course of the Federal Justice process, show an alignment with the project.

On February 23, the advice of the executive secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture stated in a document that the exploitation of potassium in the Amazon can supply the national market by up to 50% in the long term. Potassium is the basis for fertilizers used in large-scale agriculture.

“The achievement of the mineral exploration project in the Amazon region, considering its potential for supplying potassium chloride, is strategic and essential for the pursuit of the objectives of the National Fertilizer Plan”, concludes the document. The plan was drawn up in 2021, in the Bolsonaro government.

The legal consultancy at the Ministry of Agriculture, in charge of the AGU (Attorney General of the Union), made a similar statement on March 1st. According to the legal area, there are “enough legal reasons to vindicate the priority treatment of the Potássio Autazes project by all the public agents involved”.

The AGU defended consultation with the Mura people and “regularization of environmental licensing”.

Ibama, in turn, corroborated the body’s previous positions, in a manifestation to Justice in January. It is up to the federal agency to issue environmental licenses for undertakings that are located on indigenous lands, and the responsibility for licensing the project in Autazes lies with the local environmental agency, according to an appeal from the legal area of ​​the AGU representing Ibama.

In the appeal, the body asks that the Justice decide clearly if the competence for the licensing is of the federal sphere.

Report published by Sheet in July 2022 showed that Ibama under Bolsonaro refuted three times, in a period of four months, conducting the licensing process for the exploitation of potash in the Amazon.

In a note, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples stated that any enterprise close to indigenous lands must adopt procedures of “listening and prior free consultation informed to indigenous peoples”, within the provisions of the ILO (International Labor Organization) convention of which Brazil is a signatory.

“If this is not considered, if there are no regulations for this practice, this is therefore considered an illegal activity,” said the folder.

Potássio do Brasil claims to respect the performance of Brazilian institutions and defended Ipaam as the competent body for licensing. According to the company, the project is awaiting the installation license and is not on indigenous land. In addition, there is consultation with indigenous people, depending on the project.

The company also denies any malice or coercion by indigenous peoples, and claims to have acquired goods in the Autazes region in a lawful and legitimate manner.

_{The Planeta em Transe project is supported by the Open Society Foundations.}