On Tuesday, October 10, families from the Vila Maria area in West Belo Horizonte staged a protest by blocking traffic on the Ring Road. This demonstration took place just hours before a vote on Bill 9/2025, which aims to define the boundaries of the Jacques Cousteau Municipal Park to include the territory currently occupied by Vila Maria. The bill is put forth by the municipal executive and is under review by the City Council of Belo Horizonte.

The protest began around 6 AM near the Betânia neighborhood, where residents used wooden pallets and burning tires to obstruct the road. Emergency services, including the Military Police, Municipal Guard, BHTrans, and Fire Department, were called to the scene. Traffic was heavily delayed in both directions until it was cleared shortly after 8:30 AM, highlighting the significance of the protest in relation to the upcoming legislative decision.

This area of Vila Maria is embroiled in a longstanding dispute over land occupation and planning, reflecting broader issues of urban development and community rights within Belo Horizonte. The upcoming vote on the delimitation of park boundaries is seen as pivotal for the families living in Vila Maria, who fear displacement if the law changes, thus intensifying their cause for public action against local governance.