Goiânia Nuclear Disaster Survivors Criticize Netflix Miniseries for Inaccuracy

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:48:00 +0200

In 1987, Goiânia, Brazil, experienced the worst nuclear disaster in Latin America when a scrap metal dealer unknowingly released cesium-137 from an abandoned medical device. Survivors, including Odesson Alves Ferreira, have long fought for recognition, compensation, and public awareness of the tragedy. Ferreira, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Uranium Film Festival, is now criticizing Netflix's miniseries 'Radioactive Emergency' for distorting the historical facts and misrepresenting the victims. According to Ferreira and the Association of Cesium Victims (AVCésio), the series wrongly depicts the two young waste pickers as perpetrators, while ignoring the accountability of the former cancer treatment center owners and the Brazilian Atomic Energy Commission (CNEN). Netflix maintains that historical accuracy was a priority and consulted experts during production, yet survivors were largely excluded from the process. The controversy highlights the tensio