Nineteen Brazilian municipalities, including Mariana, sign up for dam disaster compensation deal
A Brazilian court announced that 19 additional cities, among them Mariana, have joined the compensation agreement for the 2015 dam collapse.
A court in Rio de Janeiro confirmed that 19 further Brazilian cities, including the disaster's epicenter Mariana, have entered the compensation agreement with mining firms BHP, Vale and Samarco for the 2015 dam failure. With this addition, 45 of the 49 municipalities eligible for funds now support the pact, which was signed and ratified in October 2024. The settlement provides 170 billion reais in total compensation, designating 6 billion reais specifically for the participating cities.
As of March 2025, only 26 cities had joined, citing concerns that the amount was insufficient. The mayor of Mariana, Juliano Duarte, described the new sign-ups as a historic win for the city, while the court remains open to the four remaining towns joining later.
Why it matters
The expanded participation strengthens the funding pool for rebuilding communities affected by Brazil's deadliest mining disaster.
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