Zema Names Ex-Prosecutor With Mining Ties to Lead Minas Gerais Environmental Regulator

Overview

• The appointment of Edson de Resende Castro as Feam president was published in the state gazette on October 11, making him the agency’s third leader in under 40 days.
• After 31 years as a state prosecutor, Resende retired in 2024 and opened a law office that consulted for mining firms including Itaminas and LGA, saying he only accompanied Itaminas executives to a meeting and did not formally represent the company.
• The state environment secretariat defended the choice based on his track record, stated he left his law practice, and said he will withdraw his bar registration to take the public post.
• The move follows Operação Rejeito, a federal probe launched September 17 that led to the arrest of former Feam president Rodrigo Franco and alleges a corruption network across Feam, ANM and Iphan tied to more than R$1.5 billion.
• Officials say licenses and authorizations for companies cited in the probe were suspended, implicated staff were removed, internal reviews began, and an independent external audit is under evaluation, as Feam oversees dam inspections and mining licenses.