Arrests Made After Deadly Dam Flood in Brazil - Sam Glodoski

Sam Glodoski

On January 25th, a dam built and co-owned by the mining company Vale collapsed, causing a deadly flood that resulted in 84 confirmed deaths with 279 people still missing, and likely dead as well. Following this horrific event, enraged citizens began to question weather Vale employees would face charges, as there were reportedly clear infrastructure problems. As of now 5 arrests have been made, including two senior managers of the Corrego do Feijao, two engineers who attested to the safety of the mine, and a third Vale employee whose position is not yet known. Despite Vale's co-operation with authorities and financial efforts to appease citizens of Brumadinho, their appeals are falling on deaf ears. A similarly devastating flood also occurred in 2015 due to the failure of another Vale owned mine, and many Brazilians, both citizens and politicians alike, now doubt the company's commitment to safety. In addition to the five arrests, investigators have also issued seven search warrants on suspicion of murder, falsification of documents, and environmental crimes, as the flood of muddy water has already begun creating environmental issues in nearby bodies of water. It should also be noted that this flood came after the election of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's new controversial president, who campaigned on the deregulation of the mining industry to boost Brazil's economy. Evidently, this flood will cause more than a mere ripple effect in Brazil and other Vale countries.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/brazil-dam-disaster-mining-arrests-1.4996923