Regarding the field hospital, Belo Horizonte City Hall said they had received an indecent proposal from the State Secretary for Infrastructure and Mobility.
Last Monday (6), Belo Horizonte City Hall announced that it will no longer use Esplanada do Mineirão as a field hospital. The decision was announced by Mayor Alexandre Kalil, at a press conference at the headquarters of the municipal executive.
According to the mayor, the space was offered by the concessionaire that manages the stadium and the setting up of the hospital had already been agreed with Governor Romeu Zema, since the Mineirão belongs to the State. But, according to Kalil, a last-minute change didn't make it possible.
“The state government did not cede the esplanade to the City Hall of Belo Horizonte. Unfortunately, they said, although I had already arranged it personally with the governor, but later, a secretary, Marco Aurélio Barcelos, came. He made an immoral, indecorous and political proposal to give up the space (sic).” Kalil said.
According to the mayor, the new field hospitals will be set up in Santa Casa, Hospital São Francisco and Hospital São José.
In a note, Seinfra (Secretary of State for Infrastructure and Mobility) reported that it had already made available to the municipal Executive the materials for the assembly of a field hospital, but the equipment is from a private company contracted by the government. Thus, the two bodies would need to work together.
The folder also pointed out that the stadium is available to the City Hall of Belo Horizonte, as a way to face the coronavirus pandemic.
In full the Seinfra note:
“The Secretary of State for Infrastructure and Mobility (Seinfra) reinforces that all measures aimed at combating the Coronavirus and its effects are important and deserve the full support of the authorities and organized civil society. In this context, it clarifies that in the previous week, the concession of the Mineirão Stadium for the setting up of a field hospital had been made available to the Municipality of Belo Horizonte, at no cost.
But, because it is equipment managed by a private company, contracted by the State of Minas Gerais. It was informed that the joint action of both entities would be necessary for the undertaking to be carried out. The Municipal Health Secretariat was informed that the Seinfra teams were on standby. To proceed with all necessary legal and operational measures.
The Secretariat reiterates that the Mineirão remains available to the Municipality of Belo Horizonte to implement actions aimed at combating COVID-19. Finally, it emphasizes that the opportunity to act together with municipal authorities in this time of crisis is independent of preferences or any electoral context.”
