Banco do Brasil sued to restore banking services in Alcântara

The Public Prosecutor's Office of Maranhão has filed a civil public action against Banco do Brasil to restore essential banking services in the municipality of Alcântara. Since May, following a partial wall collapse at the town's only bank branch, residents have faced severe service disruptions.

While the bank established a temporary support point, residents report insufficient cash availability and inadequate structural conditions to handle the volume of customers. The situation is worsened by the closure of the town's only lottery outlet, forcing elderly citizens and people with disabilities to travel to neighboring municipalities for basic transactions. This has also negatively impacted local commerce due to reduced currency circulation.

Banco do Brasil stated that a recovery project has been contracted, but works are not expected to be completed until March 2027. The prosecution is seeking an injunction to force the bank to provide an emergency solution for deposits and withdrawals within 30 days, with potential daily fines of at least R$ 5,000 for non-compliance.