Numbers of the week: Sep. 14, 2019

This is Brazil by the Numbers, a weekly digest of the most interesting figures tucked inside the latest news about Brazil. Random numbers that help explain what is going on in Brazil. This week: BHP v. Mariana victims; Amazon Prime; Murder rates down; Taxes; Wildfires.

Send any suggestions to contribute@brazilian.report

200,000 plaintiffs

In 2015, an iron ore dam collapsed in the municipality of Mariana, spilling the equivalent of 25,000 Olympic swimming pools of toxic sludge into the surrounding area. Entire towns were buried under the mud, 19 people were killed—and the Rio Doce was left devastated. The dam was owned by Samarco, a joint venture between Brazilian mining company Vale and the Anglo-Australian company BHP Billiton. The perpetrators have been notoriously slow in compensating the victims and remedying the damage they caused. Now, 200,000 plaintiffs are suing BHP Billiton in the UK for GDP 5 billion in reparations. According to Piauí, Manchester High Court’s Judge Stephen Eyre has scheduled a hearing for June 9 to hear the lawyers representing both the plaintiffs and the companies. Then, he will decide whether or not to accept the case—with would be Britain’s biggest of all-time in number of plaintiffs. BHP Billiton claims the case shouldn’t be taken by the court, as it is already an ongoing lawsuit in Brazil.

BRL 9.90 per month

Amazon launched its Prime service in Brazil on September 10, just months after inaugurating a distribution center that allows it to control its own sales and distribution from end to end. Amazon Prime will cost BRL 9.90 per month (five times cheaper than in the U.S.), including free deliveries within 48 hours and access to streaming services Prime Video, Prime Music,...