Socio-economic and environmental conflict over the construction of Belo Monte Hydroelectric Power Plant

Abstract

This article aims to do an analysis of the construction of Belo Monte Hydroelectric Power Plant, characterizing it as a socio-economic and environmental conflict over two main themes: a) the impact of large infrastructure constructions on the local populations as well as on the territory in which they are built; b) the risks and benefits they generate for the development of the region and the country. This is done by analyzing empirically the concept of “political opportunity structure” in relation to the political opportunities that arose for the action of the different social agents involved in the conflict over the construction of the hydroelectric power plant. In this analysis, it was found that within the actual political opportunity structure presented by the Brazilian energy policies, the groups that are against the construction of large infrastructure edifications, such as Belo Monte Hydroelectric Power Plant, and those that suffer the most with its direct and indirect impacts are also the ones with less power to influence the decision making processes and the outcomes of these constructions. In Belo Monte’s case, the contentious repertoires utilized by these agents were not able to generate mobilization with political power enough to change the construction and the operation schedules. This situation is also due to the cohesion and political power of the groups that support this kind of construction. The way these groups act gives them autonomy to decide about the course of the Brazilian energy policies and aim them for the continuity of projects of expanding the number of large hydroelectric power plants in the Brazilian Amazon rivers.