The Minister of the Civil House, Rui Costa, refuted, this Thursday (19), criticism from governors about the federal government’s delay in taking measures to prevent forest fires that hit the Amazon, the Pantanal and the Cerrado.
“We have been holding meetings with the states for three months. Some governors did not come to previous meetings. We have had the committee together for three months,” he said. THE
“If support or financial resources were needed, they should have asked for it three months ago,” said Rui Costa. The minister’s speech was made after the governor of Goiás, Ronaldo Caiado (União), and , stated that the actions were not taken quickly.
Ronaldo Caiado said that the federal government was “not prepared” to deal with the fires and that it procrastinated prevention actions. Caiado also defended the autonomy of states to issue environmental measures.
“Since when will Brasília know how to solve a problem in the Northeast of Goiás, or in Pará, or in Tocantins, or anywhere in Brazil? We need to stop this nonsense. Brasília does not know how to govern the country. This is complete inefficiency,” said Caiado.
The governor of Mato Grosso, Mauro Mendes, said he believes that the credit of R$514 million released by the federal government through a provisional measure (MP) will not have immediate effect.
¨Everyone who knows public administration knows that if resources are released into any state’s account today, it will be difficult for you to buy vehicles, buy equipment, rent aircraft so that in 15 days all of this will be up and running. Although we have an urgency and emergency regime that speeds up hiring processes, they need to be done with some level of criteria and transparency, following the minimum public bureaucracy,” he said.
Restructuring of Civil Defenses
During the meeting, Minister Rui Costa told the governors that he is in dialogue with the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) about restructuring federal and state Civil Defenses. The idea, according to Costa, is to create regional structures in partnership with government consortia from each region of the country.
“Our idea is to set up a structure in partnership with consortia, equipping the regions with aircraft, helicopters, materials and equipment. A regional Civil Defense force, which would provide emergency assistance faster, more effectively and at a lower cost”, stated the minister to the governors.
Legislative measures and actions for 2025
At the end of the meeting, the governor of Pará, Helder Barbalho (MDB), stated that he suggested to the government the construction, together with the National Congress, of measures to increase resources to combat the fires.
“In fact, demonstrating the example of the floods, flooding and disasters experienced in Rio Grande do Sul, in which a volume of resources were mobilized around solidarity for the reconstruction process of the state of Rio Grande do Sul”, stated Barbalho.
The governor also spoke about the approval of legislative projects to toughen penalties for those who cause arson. Ronaldo Caiado and Mauro Mendes also commented on the matter.
“I defended that there should be a gigantic toughening of the sentence. In my state, we arrested several people and, within a few hours, they were released through a custody hearing,” said Mauro Mendes.
According to the governors, state managers presented the actions and demands of their regions to combat fires to the federal government. Preventative actions were also discussed to prevent the crisis from recurring in 2025.
According to Minister Marina Silva, as of September 15, 690 fires had been recorded throughout the national territory: 298 had already been extinguished and around 179 were under control. Another 108 are in a combat situation, and 106 still do not have any form of containment.
Lula did not participate in the agenda
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) fulfills agendas in Maranhão and did not participate in the meeting.
In addition to Rui Costa and the governors, ministers Ricardo Lewandowski (Justice), Simone Tebet (Planning), Marina Silva (Environment), Waldez Góes (Integration and Regional Development), Alexandre Padilha (Institutional Relations),
Furthermore, the meeting was attended by members of the National Front of Mayors (FNP), the National Confederation of Municipalities (CNM), the Consortium of Governors, the South and Southeast Integration Consortium (Cosud), the Northeast Consortium and the National Bank of Development (BNDES).
The following governors participated in the meeting:
- Helder Barbalho (Pará)
- Ronaldo Caiado (Goiás)
- Mauro Mendes (Mato Grosso)
- Wilson Lima (Amazonas)
- Gladson Cameli (Acre)
- Ibaneis Rocha (Federal District)
- Eduardo Riedel (Mato Grosso do Sul)
- Wanderlei Barbosa (Tocantins)
- Antonio Denarius (Roraima)
- Sérgio Gonçalves (vice-governor of Rondônia)
- Antônio Pinheiro (vice-governor of Amapá)
