Mônica Bergamo: Frigate program may stop after spending R$9.5 billion in public funds

The government's and especially the Armed Forces' shortages threaten one of the PAC 's main programs: the Tamandaré Class Frigates, which foresees the construction of four defense ships to ensure security in Brazilian seas.

Approved by the Michel Temer government, the project has a planned investment of R$12.5 billion by 2028.

Of the total, R$9.5 billion has already been released. Almost everything has been spent and one frigate has already gone to sea.

The other three, however, may remain just plans. Reason: no one knows where the remaining R$3.5 billion needed to complete them will come from.

Of those that are missing, two are already under construction and one has not yet left the drawing board.

According to one of the people responsible for the program, it would be like someone buying bricks, cement, paint, and frames, covering most of the costs of a project. And not having the resources to pay the bricklayers, abandoning what would be a new house half-finished.

The uncertainty has led program coordinators to make a tour of the ministries of Defense, Development and Industry, the Navy and the Civil House. So far, to no avail: authorities acknowledge that the frigate program is a priority, but do not guarantee the resources.

Those responsible are trying to convince the government to release the money, arguing that there will be a loss of knowledge and thousands of jobs if the project is interrupted.

If the government does not respond by the end of this year, the companies that run the program —ThyssenKrupp, Embraer and Atech— will begin preparing to demobilize workers from the Itajaí shipyard.

Admiral Alexandre Pavoni says that the Navy's project cuts have been "heavy".

"The sea is everywhere and many Brazilians are unaware of this," he says. "Security vessels ensure the safety of the waters from which 90% of the gas consumed in Brazil, 95% of the oil, 40% of the fish and 99% of digital communications via submarine cables come from or pass through."

Singer Duda Beat attended Arraial do Foguete, a June festival organized by public relations expert Leo Galvão, which was held at the Laje do Baixo bar in São Paulo. Fashion designer Walério Araújo was present at the event, as was actress Samara Felippo.

_{with DIEGO ALEJANDRO, KARINA MATIAS and VICTORY CÓCOLO}