Brazil: Pantanal Rancher under Investigation for Chemical Deforestation on 81,000 Hectares
Defense claims degradation comes from fires
Apr.16.2024 1:28PM
Catarina Scortecci
CURITIBA
Businessman Claudecy Oliveira Lemes is suspected of deforesting an area of 81,000 hectares in the Pantanal in Mato Grosso using agrochemicals irregularly. The purpose of the so-called "chemical deforestation" would be to convert the area into pasture for cattle ranching, according to the state Public Prosecutor's Office, which is investigating the case.
Lawyer Fernando Faria, responsible for the rancher's defense, said he did not commit environmental crimes. In a statement, the defense asserts that the degradation of the area resulted from fires that occurred between 2020 and 2023 and that the inquiry "produced evidence unilaterally, without exercising the right to rebuttal."
In addition to the landowner, two others have become targets: the pilot of the aircraft allegedly used for the agrochemical dumping and the technician who allegedly chose the chemical products, determining application method, frequency, and quantity.
Claudecy is already the target of three criminal actions and nine civil inquiries. In the investigation, the Public Prosecutor's Office points to "very serious recurring environmental crimes" in at least seven contiguous rural properties.
https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/brazil/2024/04/pantanal-rancher-under-investigation-for-chemical-deforestation-on-81000-hectares.shtml
= new reply since forum marked as read
Por Da Redação
17/04/2024 às 20:59:05 - Atualizado há 7 horas atrás
Cattle rancher Claudecy Oliveira Lemes remained silent during a virtual testimony held this Tuesday (16) by the Civil Police of Mato Grosso.
Foto: Jornal Onze de Maio
Farmer Claudecy Oliveira Lemes remained silent during a virtual testimony held this Tuesday (16) by the Civil Police of Mato Grosso. He is accused of having spent more than R$25 million on chemical deforestation actions, in areas totaling 81 thousand hectares in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso.
According to the Public Ministry of Mato Grosso, Claudecy will have to pay R$5.2 billion between fines applied by the State Secretariat for the Environment and valuation of the environmental damage, considered the largest ever recorded in the State of Mato Grosso. He has also been the target of other legal actions that resulted in the unavailability of 11 farms, the judicial seizure of animals from these properties and the embargo of the affected areas.
According to the investigations, the environmental crimes of irregular use of pesticides in areas of native vegetation were allegedly committed in rural properties owned by Claudecy, in the municipality of Barão de Melgaço, 121 km from Cuiabá.
Illegal deforestation would have caused the death of trees in at least seven rural properties, with the destruction of vegetation in permanent preservation areas and biodiversity. Between July and August 2023, nine infraction notices and nine terms of embargo and ban were issued due to environmental degradation that had allegedly been carried out by the cattle rancher.
Claudecy's defense was sought, but has not yet responded.
*Produced by Dayana Vitor
Source: Agência Brasil
Google translation from:
https://lucianapombo.com.br/noticia/191547/pecuarista-pode-ter-de-pagar-mais-de-rs-5-bilhoes-em-multas-ambientais.html
Google translation:
MP appeals decision that denied prison to cattle rancher who spent R$25 million on chemical deforestation in the Pantanal
More than 80 thousand hectares were destroyed in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, equivalent to the territory of Campinas (SP). The rancher has 15 fines for damage to the environment, but remains at large, only complying with precautionary measures.
The Public Ministry of Mato Grosso appealed the decision that denied, on March 18, the request for arrest against cattle rancher Claudecy Oliveira Lemes, investigated for spending more than R$25 million on chemical deforestation in areas totaling 81 thousand hectares in the Pantanal Mato Grosso . The appeal was made last Friday (12) and is awaiting a court decision.
This was the greatest environmental damage ever recorded in the state , according to the MP. The deforested area corresponds to the territory of the city of Campinas, in São Paulo.
Claudecy's lawyers say that he has been complying with the forest replacement agreement made with the MP.
As shown in the Fantástico report , this Sunday (14), during the period in which he was carrying out chemical deforestation, Claudecy should have been complying with an agreement he signed with the Public Ministry to recover vegetation in destroyed areas.
25 different pesticides were released onto the Pantanal vegetation, one of which contains the substance 2,4-D - the same substance used in the Vietnam War.
. . .
Since 2019, the rancher has been fined 15 times for damaging the environment in the Pantanal, but remains at large , only complying with precautionary measures. He has already been the target of other court decisions that resulted in the unavailability of 11 farms, the judicial seizure of animals from these properties and the embargo of the affected areas. The court also ordered him to suspend his economic activities and banned him from leaving the country.
More:
https://g1.globo.com/mt/mato-grosso/noticia/2024/04/15/mp-recorre-de-decisao-que-negou-prisao-a-pecuarista-que-gastou-r-25-milhoes-em-desmate-quimico-no-pantanal.ghtml
There are 6 photos at the link showing the astounding damage to the eco system, the ancient Pantanal this greedy F*** did to 81,000 hectares in his orgasm of greed. It will only take a moment to see what chemical destruction can do.
