As coalizões de poder em torno do grande projeto minerário do vetor sul da RMBH

Abstract

In order to understand the power coalitions that gravitate around the Great Urban Project (GPU) of mining – as we chose to name the series of actions analyzed here –, this work outlines an overview of mining in the Iron Quadrangle, taking certain municipalities located in the southern vector of the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (RMBH) as the framework. This activity, which has historically characterized the region as a large extractive pole, has experienced a new cycle in Brazil and Latin America since the first decade of the 21st century, due to the substantial increase in the international demand for commodities. Moreover, the practice has been justified in the region through an unwavering ideology of economic development associated with mining. However, based on the collected data from the municipalities engaged in mining activities (CFEM), as well as information from RAIS on employment and income per municipality, it is possible to infer that, contrary to the aforementioned ideology, little value has been added to local economy. Regarding the articulation between the State, Civil Society and the Market, in terms of whether mining activities in the region should remain or not, the reports and minutes of the meetings were analyzed for approval of the licenses in the Mining Activities Chamber (CMI). The analyses point to decisions that, as a matter of priority, have favored the mining companies, which characterizes a solid coalition in the Managing Council in order to ensure a pro-growth or pro-market agenda, i.e., the consolidation of the mining companies’ interests, with the support of the State.