The Federal Police (PF), with the support of the Federal Public Ministry (MPF), launched this Thursday morning (16th) Operation Blackout, to identify the responsibility of more individuals and legal entities for the blackout that affected 13 of the 16 municipalities in Amapá between the 3rd and 24th of November 2020.
Federal police officers are serving five search and seizure warrants at the addresses of companies and the homes of persons being investigated in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. They are looking for elements that indicate prior knowledge of those responsible about the problems in the electrical system in Amapá. In the specific case, the PF determines if there was an omission in the adoption of preventive and necessary measures.
“It is known that reports made in the internal inspections carried out on the power grid in Amapá had pointed out, at least a year earlier, the risk of an event such as that of November 2020, due to overheating in the substation. The inertia of those responsible in the face of this situation is what the PF and MPF seek to confirm with more informative elements”, says a note from the PF.
police investigation
In July of this year, the PF concluded an investigation launched to investigate the case. Three directors of the responsible company were indicted for the crime provided for in article 265 of the Brazilian Penal Code: compromising the safety or operation of water, electricity, power or heat, or any other public utility service. The sanction provided for in this case is imprisonment from one to five years and payment of a fine. There is a possibility that there are more co-authors related to the case and that they could be held responsible as well.
* With information from the Federal Police
