Early this morning, Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow tweeted:
In Cambuquira Brazil, home to famous mineral waters. Town will declare itself a Blue Community to protect this water.
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 7, 2014
Cambuquira is a city of 14,000 people located in the state of Minas Gerais. The non-governmental organization ‘Ong Nova Cambuquira’ worked to make Cambuquira a blue community and we are told that the Mayor of the city personally supported the effort for Cambuquira to become a blue community too.
Barlow adds, “Last year Bern Switzerland became the first city outside of Canada to become a Blue Community. Bern was important because this is the home country of the water predator Nestle. People in Cambuquira fear Nestle too.”
Cambuquira is located near the town of Sal Lourenço, where Nestle once had a bottling plant that produced ‘Pure Life’ bottled water. We are also told that Cambuquira has been fighting against Nestle’s attempts buy up the rights to their famous mineral waters.
Barlow tweets, “I told them Nestle is a water predator and not to let them near.”
And just a few hours ago, she tweeted, “Cambuquira is officially a Blue Community. Shout out to the great activists of Nova Cambuquira.” With this presentation Cambuquira becomes the first blue community in Latin America (with undoubtedly more to come)!
Further reading
WIN! Cambuquira, Brazil a blue community
From Burnaby to Bern: Municipalities are Protecting the Water Commons
