In the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is to happen a titanic dispute among the richest man from Brazil (Eike Batista, 17 billion dollars, 61st billionaire of the world according to Forbes) and a coastal community.



In spite of a series of juridical irregularities, Eike got public authorization to build the private port of Açu in the city of São João da Barra. Açu will be the largest port of Brazil, with capacity to receive embarkations of great load and to move 100 million tons of ores, grains and industrialized products. More or less 2 thousand families take the risk of being dispossessed. The environmental damages of the work will be tremendous.



The irregularities are big. In Brazil only the State can have marine ports. The law in that Eike is based to build a private port is being questioned in the Judiciary Power. The Brazilian legislation only allows expropriation for public ends and the expropriations are being made in benefit of the companies of Eike. The environmental damages that it will be produced by the construction of the port of Açu, according to the Brazilian press, they were not appraised correctly when of the concession of the environmental license for the work. The Public Procurators that try to impede judicially the construction of the Açu also justify the request in the fact that the customs authorities and Brazilian policemen can suffer limitations in the acting of their functions in reason of the port to be deprived.



The governor of Rio de Janeiro and the mayor of the city support Eike Batista, of eye in the increase of the collection that will be generated by the construction of the port and his future operation. The threatened community is practically alone. According to José Carlos of Almeida, that takes the risk of being dispossessed:



"We don't have interest in leaving of here for place none."



With information of the magazine Carta Capital: http://www.cartacapital.com.br/app/materia.jsp?a=2&a2=8&i=4879



Am I beside the residents and you? Will you choose the profit or the people?