Brazil de vato Last week, the government of Jair Bolsonaro awarded 28 private infrastructure assets to the private sector, in a massive auction that included five ports, 22 airports and a piece of railroads. The liquidation period was dubbed by the Ministry of Infrastructure with the name in English Infrared Week – In the literal translation of “Infrastructure Week”. Concessions are valid for 30 years. The federal government raised a total of 3.56 billion reais. In an interview with Brasil de Vato, Economical and technical Dies, Cloviomar Cararine, questioned auctions at the height of the epidemic.
There are problems with the way franchises are implemented, with no clear counterparts for generating jobs and income, as well as caring for the environment. He explained that social, environmental and economic risks fall on the shoulders of the state, and the private sector is involved in business exploitation and profit appropriation. At least four companies winning auctions have a history of participating in investigations into corruption or environmental damage.
The CCR Group won the airport auctions in Curitiba (PR), Foz do Iguaçu (PR), Navigants (SC), Londrina (PR), Joinville (SC), Pakachere (PR), Pelotas (RS), Uruguayana (Republic of Srpska)), Bagé (RS), Goiânia (GO), São Luís (MA), Teresina (PI), Palmas (TO), Petrolina (PE) and Imperatriz (MA). The company has already operated 18 other concessions in Brazil and abroad, divided into 3,955 kilometers of highways, 50 subway stations, 19 ferry boats, three light rail lines and four airports. With 15 airports winning in the sixth round of ANAC auction, the company now operates 19 airports, of which 16 are in Brazil.
Bribery and last minute change in notice
Recently, the CCR Group had one of its companies involved in the Lava Jato operation. The payment of bribes was investigated in Paraná, CCR Rodonorte It signed an agreement worth R $ 750 million with the operation in March 2019. Part of the fine was used to reduce the toll amount by 30% on the BR 373, BR 376, BR 277 and PR 151 highway extensions where it was operating as a concessionaire.
The tuition fee system, according to the Federal Public Ministry (MPF), has been in operation since 2000. It has allowed the company to be exempted from carrying out the works stipulated in the contract. Additionally, the company could have been favored in bidding processes versus political campaign financing.
On the seventh day, MP Mabel Canto (PSC) in the Paraná Legislative Assembly condemned an alleged maneuver by the Paraná government so that the CCR Group could participate in the auctions. The first version of Notice No. 01/2020 of the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), dated December 18, 2020, required the companies participating in the auction to submit a declaration of unfairness to bid or contract with the public administration and prove the absence. Among the barriers related to the administrative inconvenience law and the bidding law.
The announcement could have been amended by the State Comptroller General (CGE), according to the attorney, eight days before publication, allowing the group to participate in the auction. The company says this information is “totally incorrect” – the answer follows at the end of the story.
Investigated in the United States and the United Kingdom
Bahia Mineração SA (Bamin), which won the auction for the West and East Integration (Fiol) Railway, for a stretch of 537 kilometers between Ilhéus and Caetité (BA), is a subsidiary of Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) Kazakhstan. The ERG is being investigated for corruption in the UK and “misconduct” and “suspicious payments” in the US. Although the headquarters of operations is Kazakhstan, the ERG is registered in Luxembourg, a tax haven considered to be the “secret treasury” in Europe.
Ultracargo’s Aratu Chemical Terminal (Tequimar) won the auction in a port of Itaqui (MA) area. The company was fined 570,000 Brazilian reals, in May of last year, by the São Paulo State Environmental Corporation (Cetesb), for leaking 300 kilograms of diesel oil into the Santos Estuary (SP).
Ultracargo is also associated with a fire in the company’s fuel tanks in the Alemoa neighborhood, in Santos, in April 2015. The fire resulted in an agreement worth R $ 67.5 million for damages. The term was signed in 2019 with the MPF and the State Attorney’s Office.
Nine tons of fish, of 142 different species, died from the fire. At least 15 fishing communities were directly affected by the fire, which was not extinguished after eight days.
The agreement stipulated the implementation of a fisheries management project to increase the amount of fish downstream. As well as measures aimed at training fishers, investments in infrastructure, acquisition of equipment and research projects. The company complied with what was specified by the Public Prosecution.
The fire could have been caused by an operational error in the suction and discharge tubes.
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MPF indicated the “potential intent” of Ultracargo, by “failure to adopt preventive measures as well as in primary fire fighting, by failing to ensure proper operation of the pump system and correct operation of the stable fire fighting foam system, by not ensuring quick access to Personal protective clothing and not preventing liquids from fire fighting equipment from discharging downstream. “
To extinguish the flames, more than 8 billion liters of sea water have been used.
The other three fuel-handling areas in the port of Itakoy will be managed by Santos Brasil.
The company was set up 24 years ago to operate the container terminal (Tecon) in Santos (SP), the largest terminal in South America, and has already invested more than R $ 5 billion in acquisitions, expansions, equipment and new technology.
secret information
In 2014, MPF Denounce Former president of the company, Jasmine Valley, then director of investor relations, Washington Cristino Cato, for a crime known as Insider trading Make a profit from inside information. According to the text of the complaint, “the two used, to obtain an undue advantage, relevant information, which has not been disclosed to the market yet, and they were aware of it because of their jobs and they must maintain confidentiality.”
In 2017, the company was also investigated for lease violations in Tecon, on the left bank of Santos Port. The evidence presented by the MPF indicated that there was fraud in the formation of the consortium that won the bid.
In December last year, Santos Brasil had to pay 91 million Brazilian reals to the Dockers Union in Santos, São Vicente, Guaruga and Cobattao. This is after he was found guilty of using informal labor, from other groups, instead of dockers.
In the words of Labor Judge José Bruno Wagner Filho, the company refrained from “using unskilled labor (not dockers) in loading and unloading jobs, which should only be performed by registered or registered dockers, whether loose or not, under penalty The fine is $ 20,000 for each irregular worker. “
the other side
a Brazil de vato I contacted the four companies to comment on the information provided. The CCR Group confirmed in the report that the winning company at Anac Auction “should not be confused with CCR Rodonorte. The temporary suspension of the right to participate in the new auctions included CCR RodoNorte and not all of the companies in the group.”
“Another point that must be emphasized is that this temporary suspension relates to Paraná assets and not the Federation. Finally, the Comptroller General of Parana State rescinded the aforementioned suspension of CCR Rodonorte right in December 2020.” adds a note from the CCR Group.
The company also indicated that the Central and Southern Airports group auction was promoted by the Federal Government / ANAC, and the Paraná Public Control Authority did not make any changes to the notices in question. “Therefore, the statement that the Bid Notice had been amended by CGE PR eight days prior to publication was completely incorrect, allowing the CCR Group to participate in the auction.”
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Ultracargo claims to always operate to national and international standards, “beyond legal requirements. That is why it is a“ reference in safety in its class. ”The company adds that in recent years it has invested R $ 80 million in“ initiatives that enhance the security of our operations ”.
Ultracargo assures that its operations are conducted according to the most recognized certifications and assessments on the market. It reaffirms its commitment to the safety and development of its employees, the population and the environment surrounding its operations, “the text adds.
