Moments before the start of the climate conference, which begins on Monday (10) and lasts until November 21, the Federal Court has barred the Belém City Council from carrying out forced removals of homeless residents, ordering diagnostics to be carried out and 320 new shelter spaces to be created. The measure also requires the union to support the municipality in restructuring the service.
The ruling issued by Federal Judge María Carolina Valiente do Carmo is urgent and responds to a request for action submitted by the Federal Public Ministry (MPF), the Public Ministry of the State of Pará (MPPA), the Office of the Federal Public Defender (DPU) and the Office of the Public Defender of the State of Pará (DPE-PA).
In the event of non-compliance with the prohibition of forced removal and forced collection of goods, a fine of R$5,000 was imposed on each person unlawfully removed. The decision also prohibits hostile construction that prevents these residents from residing, subject to a fine of R$10,000 for each violation.
“When forced deportation is prohibited, the decision has immediate effects. It now enters into force in the period preceding the official start of the COP, but extends to the subsequent moment,” explains Pará’s regional lawyer for citizens’ rights, Sadi Machado, one of those who signed the application.
The municipality will also have three months to conduct a regional social diagnosis and 60 days to provide basic hygiene supplies and reception alternatives, for example in tents.
The court set a deadline of January 26, 2026 for the municipality to submit a plan to restructure services of medium complexity and create a new POP (specialized center for the homeless population), which provides food, hygiene and citizenship services, and the same deadline for the creation of at least 320 new places, under penalty of a single fine of R$5,000 plus R$5,000 for each day of non-compliance.
The decision also included the union, which must provide technical support to the municipality in preparing plans to restructure the reception of these residents.
“It is a very important decision because it aims to meet and guarantee the fundamental rights of the displaced population in the municipality of Belém, so that in fact all the duties imposed on public authorities towards this population are fulfilled,” says Saadi.
The Attorney General also highlighted the importance of the resolution, during the World Climate Conference, to ensure attention to these issues at the international level.
“It is a historic milestone at a time before the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties, because it ensures that even the convening of an international event with foreign authorities will not be able to remove the obligations of public authorities towards the implementation and realization of the fundamental rights of displaced populations.”
The municipality denies forced collection
The Belem City Council denied that any kind of “forced assembly” had occurred. Also according to the organization, residents are consulted during the integrated protection measures implemented by the Papa João XXIII Foundation, and are referred to reception places only in case of interest.
Also according to the agency, the municipality has four specific units for this service, two of which are POP centers, operating during the day, providing 1,168 services per month and two CAMAR, operating 24 hours a day, with 73 receptions per month.
The organization reports that it is working to restructure spaces, anticipating an increase in vacancies. 50% of the work has been completed on the “Espaço Acolher” hostel, a municipal hostel that will be open daily, including on weekends and public holidays.
The Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship (MDHC) reported that it was aware of the court’s decision and that the forced removals contravened the principles and guidelines of the National Policy for Displaced Populations (PNPSR), which guide the actions of the Brazilian state in promoting, protecting and defending the human rights of this population.
Aware of the importance of the topic and the context of the city’s preparations to host COP30, it was ready to cooperate with the municipality in adopting measures that guarantee the rights of this population, and promote solutions based on dialogue, social justice and human dignity.
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