Corporate lobbyists have been hard at work in Brazil to get government groups to hand over the Guarani Aquifer (named after the Guarani people who rely on it as a water source). The Guarani is the world’s second largest aquifer that spans an enormous area under Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
and Argentina. According to Correio do Brasil, Coca-Cola and Nestle have been in private negotiations to start the process of privatization of the Guarani Aquifer with Brazil’s government which could hand over control of the aquifer for 100 years.
Coca-Cola and Nestle joined together with AB Inbev, Dow, and PepsiCo, to form the 2030 Water Resources Group (2030WRG) which touts itself as being “a unique public-private-civil society collaboration.” Water rights groups claim the organization is working to gain control of water sources that have always been part of the public domain. Controlling major fresh water sources would mean people would have to buy their drinking water from these companies.
The privatization talks began with the previous President Dilma Rousoff, who was removed from office in 2016 after corruption allegations led to her impeachment. Her replacement, Michael Temer, has made it clear that Brazil is open for business, relaxing protections on the Amazon forest and holding private meetings for control of the aquifer. “The new Brazil that is back in business…is a more prosperous, a more open country,” said Temer at Davos, “a country with more opportunities for investment, more opportunities for trade and business.”
Do you need the virtual equivalent of a smile? ‘Like’ us on Facebook and get more good vibes than you can shake a sharp stick at!