Grupo Saritur granted judicial recovery amid near‑billion‑real debt in Brazil

The Minas Gerais Justice authorized a judicial recovery proceeding for Grupo Saritur, a major transport conglomerate in Brazil that declared a debt of about R$959.7 million. The filing includes 41 companies linked to the group, such as Saritur, Transnorte, Autotrans and Viação Jardins, and covers its urban, inter‑city, tourist and charter operations.

The court order suspends collection actions and protects essential assets – buses, garages, workshops and receivables – for 180 days, while the group has 60 days to present a detailed recovery plan to creditors. In Belo Horizonte, the group operates 38 municipal bus lines through the concessionaire S&M Transportes S/A, part of the Consórco BH Leste. The city government stressed that the recovery does not alter the concessionaire’s contractual obligations to maintain schedules, fleet condition and passenger safety.

Saritur attributes its financial distress to a sharp drop in ridership during the COVID‑19 pandemic, combined with rising costs for diesel, tires, parts and maintenance, which together eroded cash flow despite a partial rebound in demand.