Brazil risks losing sovereignty over the Amazon due to organized crime

Brazil faces a real and high risk of losing sovereignty over the Amazon, not to a foreign power, as subsequent Brazilian authorities have feared for decades, but to domestic organized crime that is increasingly taking over this vast and rich territory. The warning was made by the President of the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil, Judge Luiz Roberto Barroso, in an interview with the agency. Reuters.

“There is a real risk of loss of Amazonian sovereignty, not to any other country, but to organized crime. There needs to be a very strong commitment on the part of the Brazilian authorities to combat environmental crimes such as exploration and illegal timber trade, mining and illegal deforestation, land invasion and illegal occupation, killings of forest defenders, drug trafficking and smuggling.” suffered much of their highly profitable illegal activities, taking advantage of the vastness of the forest and the glaring security failures, as well as the absence and inaction of the state.

According to Barroso, the whole world at this moment must do its part to fight the organized crime that has taken over the Amazon and ensnares indigenous and non-indigenous populations living in forest areas, and to guarantee these populations dignified and sustainable forms of survival. without which the problem will never be effectively solved.

But Barroso is keen to stress that his call for the participation of other countries around the world does not imply ceding even a millimeter of the Amazon to foreign powers.

“We want help from the world, but we will not give up one millimeter of sovereignty. But the world’s best minds must think about a sustainable bioeconomy model for the forest, adopting forms of survival for the region’s 25 million inhabitants that do not negatively impact the biome. Without this, it will not be possible to contain the progressive degradation of the region,” the magistrate added.

Barroso avoided criticizing the current government led by Lula da Silva or the previous government led by Jair Bolsonaro regarding measures taken or not taken to protect the Amazon, which has been taken over by criminal gangs from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro who have joined the traditional forest invaders and have significantly increased both the destruction of green spaces, lands and rivers, as well as the threat to safety and loss of innocent life.

Last January, a few days after assuming the presidency of Brazil for the third time, Lula da Silva announced to the world a joint mega-operation between the Armed Forces and the Federal Police to truly occupy the Amazon and drive out illegal miners, fishermen and loggers. and drug traffickers and end the humanitarian tragedy these invaders are causing among indigenous peoples like the Yanomami.

The truth is that this operation never got off the ground, it was replaced by isolated and sporadic actions of environmental inspectors, and organized crime took over the places that should have been occupied by the state and subjugated those who live in the forest.