Rio Grande do Norte prison construction dispute

The construction of a new public prison in the Potengi neighborhood of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, has become a legal dispute between the state government and the judiciary.

On August 25, Governor Fátima Bezerra announced the immediate revocation of the bidding process for the ‘Cadeia Pública do Potengi’. The decision followed opposition from local residents who expressed concerns regarding the site’s historical association with a former penitentiary. While the state government maintained that expanding prison capacity is an “urgent administrative necessity,” it stated that a new location would be discussed with civil society representatives.

By August 28, a Federal Court intervened, with Judge Moniky Mayara Costa Fonseca Dantas ordering the Rio Grande do Norte government to proceed with the construction. The court ruled that the state could not take measures to revoke or halt the project, noting that the bidding had been ratified and the contract signed. To ensure compliance, the court imposed a R$ 100,000 fine for non-compliance. The project is funded through a combination of the National Penitentiary Fund and state resources, with a total estimated budget of R$ 8.39 million.