When a Vale dam suffered a failure, on 25 January 2019, a mudflow was unleashed and killed 272 people. Offices, houses, farms and a cafeteria during lunchtime were decimated. Now, a research from the Federal University of Minas Gerais claims that the mining company chose to improve it's efficiency at the cost of lives of it's employes.
Vale appealed to reverse a court ruling that decided that the company should pay 1 million Reais (US$ 191,912.00) for each dead worker. The Federal University of Minas Gerais reasearch, however, contests the arguments of the mining company.
"We pay too low amounts of compensation in the Labor Court. The situation was aggravated by the Labor Reform, which seeks to establish a ceiling for these indemnities, something unconstitutional from our point of view and from the Constitution’s point of view", says Luciano Pereira, the Metabase Union’s attorney, a plaintiff of the action.
There is also information about Brazil’s election authority decision to investigate president Jair Bolsonaro over baseless fraud claims. Behind in the opinion polls, Bolsonaro affirmed that next year presidential election might not be held if physical ballots were not reintroduced. On national news, the Chamber of Deputies approved a bill that may worsen environmental problems.
Read more: An indigenous association denounced Bolsonaro for genocide to the International Criminal Court
On this week's All What's Happening in Brazil, you can also learn about an afro-brazilian tradition named jongo and how to cook a cake made with pumpkin.
All What's Happening in Brazil episodes are available at Brasil de Fato's YouTube channel, where you'll also find a special English-content playlist. Partners who wish to include a longer version of the show in their schedule may contact our international team at [email protected]
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