Blocking of R$ 1 billion from Braskem due to mine collapse has not yet been implemented

Petrochemical company Braskem confirmed that it received news of the request to block R$1 billion from the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) and the Federal Public Defender’s Office (DPU) last Tuesday (12) due to the collapse of a mine in Maceió, capital de Alagoas, but the amount has not yet been restricted in their bank accounts.

Confirmation that the blockade has not yet been implemented was given by Braskem itself in a fact relevant to the market published this Friday (15) and sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM), which regulates share trading.

“Braskem confirms that it became aware of a request for precautionary blocking in the amount of approximately R$1 billion in the company’s bank accounts in the context of the Public Civil Action filed by the Federal Public Ministry, the Public Ministry of the State of Alagoas and the Public Defender’s Office of the Union against the company and the municipality of Maceió, which was the subject of the Relevant Fact dated November 30, 2023. So far there has been no determination regarding such a blockade, which is why a Relevant Fact has not been disclosed”, explained the company in the statement (see in full).

The blockade was requested by the MPF and the DPU because, according to them, Braskem did not present proposals to advance negotiations related to property compensation in the new areas covered by the Priority Action Lines Map. The company alleged technical disagreements and plans to appeal the decision.

A People’s GazetteBraskem informed that it will appeal the injunction and that “it continues to dialogue with the authorities and develop actions focused on people’s safety and the implementation of broad measures to mitigate, compensate or repair impacts arising from the vacancy of affected properties”.

The map update includes areas in the Bom Parto neighborhood, Marquês de Abrantes street, Vila Saém and the Farol neighborhood, all designated as monitoring areas, where relocation is optional.

“In relation to updating the Priority Actions Map, the occupied region in the neighborhoods is constantly monitored and there are no technical studies that indicate the need for new evictions”, added Braskem.

In another recent note, the company stated that it had disbursed more than R$9 billion in actions taken in Alagoas, including compensation and socio-environmental measures. Around 40 thousand people from more than 14 thousand properties were relocated in four years under the Financial Compensation Program.