Exactly five years ago, on January 25, the fate of the city of Brumadinho, in the state of Minas Gerais, changed forever: suddenly, one of the tailings dams belonging to the giant mining company Vale collapsed brutally, engulfing houses, commerce centers and almost everything in its path in a gigantic wave of toxic, mineral-laden mud.
The disaster killed 272 people, including children, and filled the town with more than 12 million cubic meters of mud. Hundreds more were displaced.
But despite claiming dozens of innocent lives and leaving scars that the city and its residents may never overcome, the dam collapse was not enough to hold those responsible for the destruction of Brumadinho accountable.
Not surprisingly, half a decade after what is considered one of Brazil’s greatest environmental disasters, no individual has been prosecuted, while firefighters continue to search for human remains.
Meanwhile, as survivors and relatives of the victims accuse Vale of impunity, the company is trying to improve its own image in the eyes of the public by inviting the press to see the mitigation efforts it has undertaken in Brumadinho.
However, locals believe that no compensation can repair the human and environmental damage caused by what happened on January 25, 2019, when the heart of the Brazilian mining industry showed why this sector is either a blessing for its skyrocketing revenues, or a curse for all the potential destruction it can cause.
Check out the creation of this cartoon on The Brazilian Report’s TikTok account (@brazilianreport).
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