Federal Prosecutor’s Office Targets Private New Year’s Eve Parties on Rio’s Beaches

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A civil lawsuit brought by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) against the federal government, the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Riotur and Orla Rio concessionaire, aims to prevent beach bar owners from enclosing the sand strip and to charge ticket prices, on the South Zone beaches stretching westward from Leme to Pontal beach, for private end-of-year parties.

At the concessionaire’s request, authorization was granted for the beach bars managed by Orla Rio to hold New Year’s Eve celebrations, despite the substantial increase in cases and deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the lawsuit, the MPF is urging the Federal Government, through the National Property Bureau (SPU), to presentially inspect compliance with the prohibition to fence off sand strips and charge tickets.

“Beaches are property of the federal government (Art. 20, items III and IV of the Constitution), of common use by the population, and considered a permanent preservation area, so, given that there is no federal authorization, the occupation of shore grounds by private individuals cannot be discussed. Given the recurrence of the facts, despite an atypical year with the coronavirus pandemic, authorization was granted to the concessionaire, leaving no other alternative than to judicialize the case,” says prosecutor Renato Machado, who brought the lawsuit, in a note.

A Municipal Decree authorized the establishment of fencing of waterfront beach bars on New Year’s Eve, leading the MPF to open a civil inquiry to monitor the case, which resulted in the current civil lawsuit. In November, the city hall once again authorized beach bars to hold private parties on the sand. The establishments will be able to enclose the sand strip, charge for services and install dance floors although there will be no fireworks on the waterfront.