BRAZIL: Clashes in Rio de Janeiro as protesters demonstrate against controversial oil field auction

Record ID: 344351

  • Title: BRAZIL: Clashes in Rio de Janeiro as protesters demonstrate against controversial oil field auction
  • Date: 21st October 2013
  • Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (OCTOBER 21, 2013) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF RIOT POLICE STANDING IN FORMATION VARIOUS OF CLOUDS OF TEAR GAS AMID PROTESTERS HOODED PROTESTER STANDING ON CAR AND SMASHING IN WINDSHIELD PROTESTER SPRAYING PAINT ONTO CAR VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS TEARING DOWN METAL BARRICADES AND MARCHING DOWN THE STREET WITH THEM CLOUDS OF TEAR GAS AMID PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF SECURITY OFFICER TREATING MAN WHO APPEARS TO BE WOUNDED
  • Embargoed: 5th November 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6F3EXK1YDA2S2LVX6VGQ66CKW
  • Story Text: Tear gas was fired at protesters outside a Rio hotel on Monday (October 21) ahead of a controversial oil field auction.
    Protesters attacked parked cars and tore down metal barricades as the auction neared.
    The clashes took place ahead of the auction of the Libra offshore oil area which is set to begin around 1600gmt.
    The auction has sparked widespread nationalist protests even though most of the world's premier energy companies opted to stay away.
    More than a thousand troops have been deployed around the beach front Rio de Janeiro hotel where the auction will take place to prevent protesters from disrupting the event.
    Libra holds between 8 billion and 12 billion barrels of recoverable oil.
    Oil unions are on strike against the planned sale and some groups have gone to court to try to stop the auction, calling it a sell-out of precious national resources to foreign interests.
    Only 11 companies have so far signed up for the auction.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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