18 March 2011

BRASIL: 19 Mar. UPDATE: Violence Halts Amazon's Jirau, San Antonio Dams Construction; Work Could Resume Monday.

REUTERS

   In an embarrassing setback for President Rousseff as President Obama visits Brasil, violence has stopped construction on the Jirau hydroelectric dam in the Amazon...and may delay its 2012 target.
   The 3,450 megawatt dam is being built on the Madeira River in Rondonia near the border with Bolivia.
   Masked men set fire to buses and housing, stopping nearly 20,000 employees from continuing construction.
   The violence also halted work on the nearby Santo Antonio dam.
   But  a spokesman predicts: "With the presence of National Forces, Federal Police and the state Military Police, which are already at the construction site to secure order and employee safety, the company will resume its normal activities on Monday,"