|
The alleged crimes include damage to public property and
environmental crimes. A police source, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, confirmed to The Associated Press that those indicted
were employees or contractors of Braskem, one of the biggest
petrochemical companies in the Americas.
Braskem is owned primarily by Brazilian state-run oil company
Petrobras and construction giant Novonor, formerly known as
Odebrecht. It operated the mining of rock salt in the area for
four decades and has been under investigation since the
neighborhoods began collapsing in 2018.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Braskem said it had not
yet reviewed the full police report and therefore would not
comment on the individuals indicted who were connected to the
company. The petrochemical firm stated that it has cooperated
with the investigation and “has always acted in compliance with
industry laws and regulations, regularly informing and reporting
to the competent authorities.”
Rock salt mining is a process of extracting salt from deep
underground deposits. However, brine-filled cavities left behind
when the salt has been extracted can eventually collapse,
causing the soil above to settle. Structures built on top of
such areas can topple.
Around 200,000 people in the Alagoas state capital Maceio were
affected by the excessive extraction of rock salt, according to
the Brazil Senate’s website.
In July, 2023, Braskem announced a $356-million settlement with
the city. The money would be used for structural works in the
city and for a residents’ support fund.
In December, a closed rock salt mine partially collapsed. The
area had been previously evacuated.
All contents © copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
