Impasse over Wi-Fi Livre SP
The mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes (MDB), said that the Wi-Fi Livre SP program may be canceled. The statement was made after the Supreme Federal Court (STF) suspended public payments to the Instituto Conhecer Brasil (ICB), an organization linked to Karina da Gama.
What the mayor says
According to Nunes, Prodam is unable to take over the program while charging the same amount paid to the ICB. The municipal technology company would be an alternative to keep the service, but, in the mayor's assessment, there is no way to run it at the same cost.
Contracting and investigation
The municipal administration hired Instituto Conhecer Brasil to install wi-fi hotspots on the outskirts of the city of São Paulo. The ICB is under investigation by the Federal Police. The STF decision suspended transfers of public money to the entity and put the continuity of the partnership in doubt.
Outlook
With payments blocked, the future of Wi-Fi Livre SP now depends on an administrative or legal solution. The impasse involves maintaining a free connection policy and the restrictions ordered by the courts after the investigation into the use of public funds in the partnership.