Amazon parliamentarians clash with Marina Silva

BR-319

Authorities in the North region considered the minister responsible for the delays in the completion of works on the BR-319

Manaus (AM) – The Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva, presented proposals to combat deforestation that displeased parliamentarians from Amazonas, this Wednesday (24), at the public hearing at the Commission for the Environment and Sustainable Development (CMADS), in the Chamber of Deputies. Marina Silva did not guarantee plans for the progress of works on BR-319.

The federal deputy, Amom Mandel (Citizenship), questioned the minister during a hearing about the proposal of the current management of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change to combat deforestation, which should simultaneously work with the advancement of the BR-319.

“How do these strategies connect with the attempts to conclude paving the BR-319? Asphalting can result in an increase in deforestation, but the abandonment of the road cannot serve as a policy to combat deforestation. How does the Ministry of the Environment intend to act together to intensify the fight against deforestation and investments in this case?”,

asked the deputy.

For years, the BR-319 has been surrounded by environmental clashes, causing delays in the progress of works to recover stretches of the highway, making it difficult for thousands of people from all over the country to travel through the road to move between the states of the Amazonas and Rondônia.

In response to the deputy from Amazonas, Marina Silva (Rede) made statements about the complexity of the matter, but did not address which strategies the Federal Government, through the Ministry of the Environment, will follow to guarantee the development of the works and the intensification of the fight deforestation in a practical way.

“If it was an easy process, it is possible that it would have already been done. Starting with the evaluation of IBAMA technicians without them having to be pressured for A or B and respecting their technical position.[…] It is a highly complex undertaking,” he said.

Northern region authorities and political groups considered that Marina Silva was responsible for many of the difficulties in completing the works.

In response to Amom Mandel, Marina Silva presented positive data from her administration as a way of overcoming the tension, stating that there was a 40% drop in deforestation in the Amazon region in the first four months of this year. However, according to data provided by the Amazon Institute for Man and Environment (Imazon), the percentage drop was only 36%, compared to the same period in 2022.

In January of this year, the issue of revitalizing the BR-319 was presented by the Federal Government together with the Government of the State of Amazonas. The theme also became the agenda during the Plenary Session at the Manaus City Council (CMM), on Tuesday (23).

The councilor Sassá of Civil Construction (PT), the only worker’s party participant in the CMM, made severe notes regarding the manager of the Ministry of Environment.

“She doesn’t understand anything about the environment. Our BR has to come out, yes, because there are ways for us not to harm the environment”, she declared.

The Brazilian Institute of the Environment (Ibama) released the preliminary license for the reconstruction of part of the highway, in August 2022. However, in March of this year, Marina Silva, visiting Manaus, said it was necessary to revisit the process to grant the authorization to pave the highways.

In a statement, Sassá stated that he has always been in favor of road reforms, even in previous governments, as he considers the work a step forward for Amazonas.

“In all previous governments I was always in favor of the BR-319 and it is no different in the Lula government, because it is a highway that will make the Amazon advance. So if I have to choose between party fights, trends, whatever it is, I’ll stick with my people from Amazonas”, he said.

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