‘Sabotage’ likely culprit for Brazil’s Eletrobras towers collapse, sources say

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – The collapse of two transmission towers operated by Brazilian power company Eletrobras happened after someone cut the cables used to secure the towers, three sources with knowledge of the matter said on Friday.

The acts of vandalism occurred between Sunday and Monday, after supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro ransacked government buildings in Brazil’s capital Brasilia.

Organizers of the invasion had also discussed on social media plans to disrupt fuel and electricity supply in sync with storming the capital, but police were still investigating if the collapsed towers were related to the protests.

Eletrobras did not immediately comment on the matter.

“Evidence of sabotage was found,” said a source on condition of anonymity.

On one of the towers, “cut wires were found, in a sign of vandalism,” said a second source. “There was cutting of guy-wires or loosening of bolts.”

A third tower operated by power transmission company Evoltz had also collapsed on Monday.

Another tower operated by transmission firm Taesa suffered a vandalism attempt on Thursday. However, the tower was not knocked down and there was no interruption in power transmission, Taesa said.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier and Marta Nogueira; Writing by Peter Frontini; Editing by Alistair Bell)