Amazonian politicians reinforce oil lobby – 05/15/2023 – Panel

Politicians from different parties have intensified lobbying for oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon River, which is opposed by environmental agencies.

Next Friday (19), the Legislative Assembly of Amapá will hold a hearing in Oiapoque, a city in the far north of the country, to discuss the issue.

Governors Clécio Luís (Solidariedade-AP), Helder Barbalho (MDB-PA) and Carlos Brandão (PSB-MA) were called, as well as deputies, senators, entities that study the subject, businessmen and Ibama representatives. The environmental agency has not yet confirmed its presence, however.

The location was chosen because it was closest to the planned exploration point. “Oiapoque can become what Macaé (RJ) represents for the pre-salt layer”, says state deputy Delegado Inácio (PDT-AP), author of the request, which was unanimously approved by the House.

Openly in favor of the project, the parliamentarian says he proposed the hearing to “democratize the debate”, and claims to have no doubts about the sustainability of the exploration.

“We know the history of Petrobras, it’s been 70 years of oil exploration without any disaster. With the decline predicted for the pre-salt layer in a few years, the effect of not exploring a new oil and gas frontier has to be taken into account. account”, says the parliamentarian.

Other initiatives have emerged. In the Chamber of Deputies, a parliamentary front in defense of oil exploration is being created. This Monday (15), the governor of Pará, Helder Barbalho, said at a seminar in São Paulo that he supports research to assess the viability of exploration and criticized “narrow and ideological” views on the subject.

PRESENT LINK: Did you like this text? Subscriber can release five free hits of any link per day. Just click the blue F below.