Superintendência do Desenvolvimento da Amazônia

Superintendência de Desenvolvimento da Amazônia (SUDAM) — the Superintendency of Development for the Amazon — was a local authority of the federal government of Brazil aiming to promote the development of the Amazon region by creating special financial and tax incentives. It has been defunct since 2001 owing to allegations of corruption and massive embezzlement.

History

SUDAM was established in 1966 during the government of Humberto de Alencar Castello Branco. Its purpose was to promote the development of the Amazon region, creating special financial and tax incentives to attract private investors, national and international. SUDAM replaced another municipality called the Superintendency of Economic Recovery Plan of the Amazon (Superintendência do Plano de Valorização Econômica da Amazônia, the SPVEA), created by Getúlio Vargas in 1953. The SPVEA also had the objective of developing the Amazon region.

On August 24, 2001, President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, in Interim Measure No. 2.157-5, abolished SUDAM, thanks to the numerous allegations of corruption surrounding the organization. (Reportedly nearly 2 billion dollars were stolen from SUDAM.) In its place, he created by the Amazon Development Agency (Agência de Desenvolvimento da Amazônia, the ADA). The ADA is responsible for the management of development programs relating to the Legal Amazon region.

In August 2003, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, announced the recreation of SUDAM.

References

• Manda Bala (Send a Bullet) (2007), a film about corruption in Brazil including a frog farm used for SUDAM funds money laundering by politician Jáder Barbalho

External links

• SUDAM: A New Transparent and Democratic SUDAM, announcement (August 25, 2003) of the recreation of SUDAM
• Agência de Desenvolvimento da Amazônia (ADA) Website