Federal prosecutors in Brazil have celebrated a court decision mandating the preservation of Fordlandia, a 1928 city built by US industrialist Henry Ford in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. The ruling came after decades of advocacy by historians, activists and residents pushing for the crumbling site to be protected.

In a statement on Friday, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office called the ruling a “landmark” decision that will rectify a gap in Brazil’s cultural preservation efforts. “The complex has suffered from neglect for decades,” the office wrote, highlighting the historical omission by public authorities.

The decision requires the federal government, the state of Para, the local government in Aveiro and the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) to collaborate to protect the site. “They must all act together to save the property, which is in an advanced state of decay,” prosecutors said.

Construction on Fordlandia began in 1928 as Ford tried to corner the rubber market, investing nearly $20 million to build a city with a hospital, running water, electricity and a cinema. The experiment ultimately failed: workers rioted over strict rules, and rubber crops suffered from fungus and pests. By 1945, Fordlandia was sold to the Brazilian government for a meager $244,200.

Thousands of residents have continued to live in Fordlandia, but without maintenance, infrastructure has rotted. The hospital burned down in 2012, and looters have ravaged the city. Resident Raimunda Maria Silva Santos recalled going 30 days without water, saying “That golden age is behind us.” Poverty remains high in the Brazilian Amazon, with Para state's poverty rate at 39.3% in 2023.

Federal prosecutors emphasized that under the court decision, locals have a legal right to demand the recovery and preservation of Fordlandia for future generations. “The district remains a fundamental site of memory for Brazilian society,” they said.

Source: www.aljazeera.com