Brazilian Dams / Blogs

Brazil: Protests in Seven Cities Across the Country
Via Campesina, of which MAB is part, organized to take action on March 11th in honor of the Day of Action. Protestors mobilized against and questioned the current energy models being used, and sensitized the population to the robbery they are being submitted to as the price of energy continues to skyrocket. Events took place in Tocantins, Rondônia, Minas Gerais, Ceará, Erechim, Paraíba, Paraná and at the border between Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.

I recently was interviewed by Brazil´s Instituto Humanitas Unisinos, and probably said a lot more than I should have. The first part of my interview, translated into English is about energy alternatives for Brazil.

Brazil: Resistance in Tibagi
The Comissão Pastoral da Terra in Brazil is organizing a "Celebration of the Waters" to draw attention to the need to preserve and protect rivers. Participants will walk on the bridge along the Tibagi River in the state of Paraná, praising the life that it provides to people and to nature, and will also kneel in prayer asking for pardon for maltreatment of the river.

Fernando Lugo, new Paraguayan president (Antônio Cruz, ABr)

The victory by Fernando Lugo last Sunday in Paraguay´s presidential elections has sent ripples through the energy ministries of Brazil and Argentina, based upon his assertion that the Itaipu and Yacyretá Dam treaties must be re-negotiated to guarantee a fair deal for his country.

former Brazilian environment minister, Marina Silva (Roosewelt Pinheiro/ABr)

Marina Silva´s resignation yesterday as environment minister has shredded the last guise of any environmental credibility in the Brazilian government. It´s not that Marina´s tenure was so incredibly successful - her opposition to GMOs resulted only in getting two companies to put a tiny "T" symbol on their soy oil, and we´ll never be able to forgive Marina, as good soldier dismantling the environmental protection agency Ibama, and pulling the switch executing the Madeira River at Lula´s orders.