A proposed constitutional change that could put Brazil’s famed beaches into private hands has outraged environmentalists and citizens in a country that prides itself on having open access to its vast coastlines.
Brazil has one of the longest coastlines in the world, approximately 7,500 kilometers (4,600 miles), and beaches are by law public property and therefore owned by the government. They are largely unspoilt, without the eyesore high-rise apartments and hotels common in seaside resorts in other countries.
However, a proposal to change the government’s ownership rule has made its way through Congress, promoted by Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, who often said during his time in office that he dreamed of creating the “Brazilian Cancun” – a nod to Mexico’s hub of mega-resorts.
The idea is to transfer ownership of coastal land to states, municipalities and private residents, which critics say could harm environmental protection efforts and block beach access.
A public hearing in the Senate sparked outrage on social media on Monday.
“Let’s put pressure on the senators to vote against this proposal,” Brazilian actress and environmental activist Laila Zaid said in an Instagram video that has been viewed nearly a million times.
The outcry comes as Brazil tackles historic flooding in the south, which experts blame on climate change.
Leticia Camargo, who coordinates a marine conservation working group in Congress, told AFP that the proposal “could lead to increased occupation of marine land, especially at a time when climate change will make storm surges and coastal erosion increasingly common.” prevent.”
She said the move could also “create pressure on very large real estate interests.”
The proposal has already been approved by the lower house and Camargo said it would likely be approved by the Senate Committee on Constitution and Justice, where the right-wing opposition has a majority.
It then goes to the full Senate for a vote.
Camargo says she is confident public pressure could delay the amendment.
Local media reported that Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco will not immediately put the issue on the agenda for a vote.
Flavio Bolsonaro said on X that it was “fake news” that the aim was to privatize beaches.
Daniel Capecchi, a professor of constitutional law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, said that if it were put to a vote, there was a “significant probability” the measure would be approved.
However, he said that if studies prove that the change will have serious environmental consequences, it could be challenged in court as a violation of the immutable constitutional right to an ecologically balanced environment.
Camargo said the fierce public reaction shows “that when you tamper with Brazilian culture in such a serious way, and that is our access to and use of the beach, you are touching on a serious problem.”
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