{"id":66123,"date":"2021-06-18T10:58:46","date_gmt":"2021-06-18T13:58:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=66123"},"modified":"2023-08-23T12:20:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T15:20:00","slug":"in-brazil-electricity-is-not-a-social-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=66123","title":{"rendered":"In Brazil, Electricity Is Not a Social Right"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

This article is part of a\u00a0series on energy justice and efficiency in Rio\u2019s favelas<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Months ago, residents of Rio de Janeiro’s largest favela, Rocinha<\/a>, created a WhatsApp group to denounce power outages and water shortages in their homes, both recurring problems<\/a> for those who live in favelas. Access to electricity is to date not recognized as a social right<\/a> in the Brazilian Constitution<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In 2017, Roraima state senator Telm\u00e1rio Mota proposed Constitutional Amendment 44\/2017 (PEC44\/2017<\/a>) in order to categorize the access to electricity as a social right<\/a>. According to him, electricity access is crucial to \u201cguaranteeing human dignity,\u201d since it is required for the use and access<\/a> to many essential goods and services.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWhen we make access to electricity a social right provided for in the Constitution, along with education, health, transportation, social welfare, etc., this becomes an obligation, not a program adopted by administration \u2018A\u2019 or \u2018B\u2019\u201d, declared<\/a> Mota at the time.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Social Rights of Citizens \u2013 Education; Health; Food; Work; Security; Transportation; Leisure; Housing; Social Welfare; Protection of Motherhood and Childhood; Assistance to the Destitute.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Social rights are needed to the ensure the quality of life of individuals and should be guaranteed by the State. Article 6<\/a> of the 1988 Brazilian Constitution defines a series of social rights, including: Education; Health; Food; Work; Security; Transportation; Leisure; Housing; Social Welfare; Protection of Motherhood and Childhood; Assistance to the Destitute.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The \u201cElectricity PEC\u201d (Proposed Constitutional Amendment that proposes electricity as a social right) is being reviewed by the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Commission (CCJ)<\/a>, headed by Par\u00e1 state senator Zequinha Marinho, who was chosen for the role in 2019. The theme has been awaiting discussion at the CCJ since October 2019 and is still on hold. With the discussions paralyzed in the Senate, cases of negligence<\/a> in the energy sector are still not considered a violation of social rights from a constitutional standpoint.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Marquinho voted in favor yet another amendment proposal, 77\/2019<\/a>, which suggests a change in Article 6\u00a0of the Constitution to include electricity as a social right:<\/p>\n

\u201cArticle 6. The following are social rights: education, health, food, work, housing, and access to electricity\u2014upon payment of a fair rate for consumption\u2014as well as transportation, leisure, security, social welfare, protection of motherhood and childhood, and assistance to the destitute, as set forth by this Constitution.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And while the subject goes nowhere within the Senate, favela residents continue to sidestep the problems caused by lack of electricity however they can<\/a>. The house where Jhonatas* has lived over the past 15 years does not have an electric meter as should be provided by Light<\/a>, Rio’s electric utility.<\/p>\n

The electricity that serves his house comes from a clandestine connection<\/a> to a lamp post in an alleyway near his house. \u201cI paid R$100 (US$19.70) to a neighbor who knows about electricity so he could connect my house to the power grid. I have asked the same thing of Light, formally, but they\u2019ve never responded to my request. I used to have an electric meter from Light, the old kind, and they actually came here and removed it to switch for the new model but never came back,\u201d recalls Jhonatas.<\/p>\n

Jhonatas is not alone in not having an electric meter at home. Without the device, residents end up resorting to \u201cgatos<\/a>\u201d, as clandestine connections are known locally, in order to have access to electricity<\/a> and in response to Light\u2019s own negligence. For this reason, the power grid that supplies Rocinha\u2019s electricity undergoes regular power outages<\/a> due to the overload caused by numerous clandestine connections. With no control or maintenance of wiring and connections, blackouts are common<\/a> in some locations.<\/p>\n

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Desde ontem sem energia el\u00e9trica l\u00e1 em casa. Perdi tudo da geladeira. Outros moradores perderam alimentos. Sem falar da falta de \u00e1gua.<\/p>\n

— Michel Silva \ud83d\ude80 (@eumichelsilva) January 31, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n