The Brazilian federal union and the state of Espirito Santo have rejected the offer, equivalent to $25.4 billion, made by Vale, BHP and Samarco, as indemnification for the collapse of the Mariana dam in 2015.
The position of the Minas Gerais state is not clear so far.
In the meantime, the Federal Attorney determined the payment by the companies, within 15 days, of an amount equivalent to $15.9 billion, related to a sentence issued by a federal court in January 2024.
However, on May 8, a federal judge determined that the companies were not obliged to the immediate payment, as the sentence mentioned that its execution would only become mandatory after the final judgement of the process, which could even require the approval of the Brazilian supreme court, if the companies decide to appeal.
