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MPF Investigates Contract Between Army and Railway Company in Military Area of Rondonópolis, Suspecting Irregularities in the Assignment of Land Valued in Millions of Reais.
The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) in Mato Grosso initiated a civil inquiry to investigate possible irregularities in the assignment of a 54-hectare plot of land from the Brazilian Army to Rumo S/A, in Rondonópolis (MT), intended for the construction of the first state railway in the country.
The area, valued at R$ 16.5 million, would have been transferred without direct payment in cash, through counterparty services and works.
According to the order opening the inquiry, signed by Federal Prosecutor Danise Nunes Rocha Müller Slhessarenko, the assignment was formalized through the Real Right of Use Concession Contract No. 1/2023, concluded between the 3rd Engineering Group of the Army and Rumo S/A, with the State of Mato Grosso as an intervening party.
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The MPF is investigating whether the agreement resulted in harm to public assets.
Counterparties Provided in the Assignment Contract
Instead of financial payment, the company committed to realizing the following deliveries:
Construction of two residences for high-ranking officers.
Construction of 12 apartments for junior officers.
Maintenance of the electrical network of the Army barracks in Rondonópolis.
Installation of a solar plant in Campo Grande (MS).
According to the prosecutor, the counterparties were technically evaluated, but there are indications that the market value of the property was not accurately calculated.
The suspicion is that the Union did not receive a return proportional to the value of the ceded area.
Technical Report Points Out Flaws in the Area Assessment
A technical report prepared within the MPF (No. 0557/2025) supports the suspicion of undervaluation.
The document indicates that the methodology used to estimate the value of the area presents conceptual and execution flaws.
Among the highlighted points are:
- Absence of direct payment for the assignment of the property.
- No detailed consideration of the remaining parts of the original land.
- Use of generic items to justify the devaluation.
- Calculation based solely on the ceded portion, disregarding the overall impact on the area as a whole.
The report concluded that the value of R$ 16.5 million attributed to the land does not correspond to the market value as provided by the technical standard NBR 14.653-2:2011, which deals with assessments of urban properties.
Justifications and Foundations of the Civil Inquiry
Based on the technical analysis, Prosecutor Danise Slhessarenko argued that the difference between the estimated value and the market value may constitute damage to the treasury.
The opening of the civil inquiry aims to ascertain whether there was a disproportion in the relationship between the assigned asset and the offered counterparties, and whether the assignment followed the principles of legality, economy, and administrative efficiency.
The process under analysis refers to number 65325.01303/2023-70, which deals with the concession of the real right of use of the area by the Army to Rumo, with the State of Mato Grosso as the intervening party.
Possible Consequences and Future Actions of the MPF
The inquiry aims to gather information to verify whether there was damage to the Union, and if irregularities are confirmed, the MPF may propose a public civil action against those responsible.
The measure may include requests for reimbursement to the treasury and other penalties provided by law.
So far, there is no confirmation of the accountability of individuals or entities.
The investigation is in the preliminary phase, with the collection of documents and technical analysis of the contracts and evaluations underway.
Project of the State Railway of Mato Grosso
The ceded area is located in Rondonópolis (MT), a municipality that will be one of the passage points of Brazil’s first state railway.
The project of the State Railway Senator Vicente Vuolo foresees 730 kilometers of tracks, linking Rondonópolis to Cuiabá and Lucas do Rio Verde, with expected billion-dollar investments and operations planned for the coming years.
The railway is part of the expansion plan for the rail network of the Midwest, which aims to increase the flow of grains and agribusiness products to the Port of Santos (SP).
The project is considered strategic for regional and national logistics.
Other Investigations Involving Rumo
In addition to the inquiry regarding the assignment of the military area, Rumo has already been the subject of other investigations by the Public Ministry.
Among them, highlights the opening of a procedure in October 2024 to investigate disturbances caused by the company’s road-rail terminal in Rondonópolis, including congestion and impacts on urban mobility.
There is also a public civil action filed in 2022, related to the alleged lack of prior consultation with indigenous communities of the Boe-Bororo ethnicity, affected by the railway’s route.
The action questions compliance with Convention No. 169 of the International Labour Organization (ILO), which guarantees free, prior, and informed consultation with traditional peoples.
Monitoring and Developments in the Case
If the MPF concludes that there was damage to public finances, the public civil action may include requests for cancellation of the contract, payment of compensations, or accountability of those involved, including public agents and company representatives.
The investigation may also serve as a reference for future partnerships between public entities and the private initiative, especially in projects involving the assignment of Union areas.
With the technical analysis underway, the Federal Public Ministry has not set a deadline for the conclusion of the inquiry.
The investigation continues to be conducted confidentially regarding operational details and may evolve into judicial or extrajudicial measures, depending on the conclusions obtained.
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