Good morning! Today, we cover the massive oil spill along the Brazilian coast. The future of Operation Car Wash—and a soap-opera story involving the former prosecutor general. And the Central Bank’s growing optimism. (This newsletter is for platinum subscribers only. Become one now!)
The mysterious oil spill on Brazilian shores
Brazil’s environmental agency is monitoring the appearance of oil stains along the Northeast coast. So far, 46 municipalities in eight states have registered the presence of oil on their waters or on the beach. Petrobras says the substance is crude oil—which is not produced in Brazil. However, authorities still don’t know where the oil might have come from.
Why it matters. The episode is proof of just how poor Brazil’s monitoring of its 7,500-kilometer coastline is. “If we had naval oversight, this wouldn’t happen,” said Anna Carolina Lobo, of NGO WWF-Brasil.
Impact. The first oil stain was identified on September 2, but the extent of the spill remains unknown. That makes it much harder to assess its impact on sea life. Environmental agents have found nine dead sea turtles and one dead shearwater, but so far, contamination of fish and crustaceans has not been confirmed. Petrobras will make 100 staff...