Alckmin talks with Marina Silva and Silveira about oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon

Vice President Geraldo Alckmin will meet, this Friday afternoon (19), with the Ministers of the Environment, Marina Silva, and of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, to discuss the dispute between the two ministries over exploration of oil on the so-called Equatorial Margin, at the mouth of the Amazon River.

This is because Petrobras had a request denied by Ibama to drill a test well to assess the quality of the oil identified in the region, which led to a dispute between ministers and even the departure of Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, leader of the government in Congress, of the Sustainability Network. The party, which has Marina as one of its main members, is part of the base of support for Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).

Alckmin should try to mediate an agreement between the two ministries and influence a review of Ibama’s denial of drilling. Petrobras said, in a statement, that it “strictly met all the requirements of the licensing process and all the resources mobilized in Amapá and Pará to carry out the Pre-Operational Assessment (simulated to test the emergency response plans) were made strictly in compliance with Ibama decisions and approvals”.

Ibama’s technical document pointed out that Petrobras’ plan for the area does not provide guarantees for assistance to the fauna in possible accidents with the oil spill. Another point highlighted would be gaps in predicting the impacts of the activity in three indigenous lands in Oiapoque.