Housing financing for families who lost their homes in the heavy rains that hit the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais will follow the model adopted in the Rio Grande do Sul floods two years ago, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this Saturday (28). In a joint statement to the press after the meeting with the mayors of Juiz de Fora, Ubá and Matias Pereira, Lula stated that the Union will provide full support to the affected cities.
The measures include assistance to city halls and lines of credit for small business owners affected by the storms.
“We learned from the tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul. We are going to help the mayors recover their cities, we are going to help small business owners get credit to recover their companies and we are going to provide homes for people who lost their homes”, declared Lula.
Areas affected by rain in the municipality of Juiz de Fora – Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR
Just like the floods in Rio Grande do Sul, the new residences, explained the president, will not be rebuilt in locations considered at risk. If the municipality does not have suitable land, the government may adopt the “assisted purchase” model, already used in other climate tragedies in the country.
In this format, the family that lost their property receives an amount from the federal government and can purchase a new or used home in any city in the state.. The entire cost is borne by the Union. “If the city doesn’t have land, we’ll find it. If it doesn’t, we’ll adopt the assisted purchase system,” said Lula.
The president highlighted that the priority is to guarantee decent and safe housing for affected familiesavoiding reconstruction on slopes or areas subject to flooding.
Flyover and visit to the homeless
The president landed in the region in the morning and flew over affected cities. In Juiz de Fora, the most affected municipality, he visited devastated areas and spoke to residents who are in makeshift shelters. The city has the largest number of victims and records thousands of homeless people.
In addition to Juiz de Fora, municipalities such as Ubá, Matias Barbosa, Divinésia and Senador Firmino also suffered severe impacts, with landslides, flooding and damage to public buildings.
President Lula da Silva visits a temporary shelter for the homeless in Juiz de Fora – Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR
In meetings with mayors in the region, Lula asked municipal administrations to carry out a detailed survey of the losses to enable the release of federal resources. “Whatever is material, whether in health, education or infrastructure, we will ensure that it is recovered,” he said.
Emergency resources and measures
The federal government has already announced the release of resources for emergency actions and humanitarian assistance in cities experiencing public calamity. The amounts will be used to restore essential services, support shelters and rebuild public structures.
The advance payment of Bolsa Família and the Continuous Payment Benefit (BPC) for affected families was also confirmed. Residents of affected municipalities will be able to request withdrawal from the Service Time Guarantee Fund (FGTS), in accordance with the rules for natural disasters.
In addition, small business owners will have easier access to credit to resume activities and replace lost stocks and equipment.
President Lula visits areas affected by the rains in Juiz de Fora, alongside Mayor Margarida Salomão – Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR
Commitment to reconstruction
At the end of the agenda, Lula reinforced that the Federal support will not depend on political alignment with mayors or local leaders. “It doesn’t matter the mayor’s party. There’s a problem in the city, there’s a well-done project and real demand, we’re going to help,” he stated.
The president acknowledged that lost lives cannot be recovered, but assured that the government will act to restore housing and infrastructure conditions.
“We can’t bring life back. But we can ensure that people have perspective and dignity to start over”, he concluded.
Lula visited the cities affected by the floods accompanied by ministers Jader Filho (Cities); Alexandre Padilha (Health); Waldez Góes (Integration and Regional Development); Wellington Dias (Development, Social Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger); the president of Caixa Econômica Federal, Carlos Antônio Vieira; and senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG). The mayor of Juiz de Fora, Margarida Salomão, and the mayor of Ubá, José Damato, also participated in the speech.
“I dare to speak on behalf of all the mayors in the region. We are going to do our homework, identify the needs in detail and present them to the federal government. And I am absolutely certain that no one will be left behind. No one will be left without a home, no one will be left unassisted. We cannot recover life, but we can guarantee everyone’s perspective of life”, declared Margarida Salomão.
At Lula’s request, the event ended with a minute of silence in memory of those killed in the climate disaster.
