Cenarium Magazine – Ed. 58 - April/2025

www.revistacenarium.com.br/en/ | April 2025

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Graphic Design and Layout | Digital/Print Magazine

Hugo Moura

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Adrisa de Góes

Ana Cláudia Leocádio

Ana Pastana

Fabyo Cruz

Izaias Godinho

Jadson Lima

Marcela Leiros

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Monica Piccinini

Cameramen/Photo Editors/Video Editors

Eber Borges

Luiz André

Ricardo Oliveira

Cover Story

Bianca Diniz | Cenarium

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Translation from Portuguese Gustô Alves

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Inory Kanamari – Indigenous Peoples

Iraildes Caldas – Gender Issues

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CENARIUM MAGAZINE (REVISTA CENARIUM in Portuguese), published by CENARIUM AGENCY, is available in digital form, available free of charge at www.revistacenarium.com.br, and in printed form, sent in person through a monthly subscription of R$24.99, with free shipping only to Manaus (AM).

�� SMART APPROACH

I like CENARIUM for its smart approach to topics of utmost interest to the population of the Amazon. You can sense the commitment to keeping our region’s society informed, and more importantly: clarifying complex issues that often influence our daily lives but remain unfamiliar to a large part of the population. It’s a distinct kind of work that inspires admiration among lovers of true and quality journalism.

Waldir Adriano Manaus – AM

�� COP FOR WHOM?

�� STRENGTH AND RESISTANCE

As an Amazonian, seeing this reality in Pará’s schools hurts, but it doesn’t surprise me. We know the neglect faced by traditional communities. It’s infuriating to realise that instead of moving forward, the government passes laws that further threaten the education of these populations. The struggle of Indigenous peoples, occupying Seduc for nearly 40 days, shows strength and resistance. Let COP30 shine a light on this. Without real education, there is no future — neither for the Amazon nor for the planet.

Joyce

Dácio Manaus – AM

�� COMMITMENT TO THE AMAZON

In times of disinformation, it’s a relief to open CENARIUM MAGAZINE and find serious, critical, and committed journalism. The reports on the environmental impacts of major projects in the Northern region are essential for the population to understand what’s at stake. The Amazon must not be seen as an obstacle to progress. Keep going strong!

Helena Monteiro Boa Vista – RR

�� REPARATION AND JUSTICE

If COP continues to be dominated by the holders of capital, as it historically has been, there will be no real progress in the fight against the climate crisis. It’s the Indigenous and traditional peoples who protect the forest with ancestral wisdom and who face the threats of deforestation, violence, and state neglect every day. It’s time to reverse the logic. COP30 must be built with them, by them, and for them.

João

Marcelo Ferreira Belém – PA

The COP of the Forests cannot be just a nice slogan. It needs to be a historic turning point, a milestone of reparation and climate justice. Giving real voice and decision-making power to traditional populations is the only way to ensure a truly just and sustainable energy transition. As a Brazilian, I hope Belém does not become a stage for empty speeches, but rather a symbol of transformation and genuine listening.

Marisa Oliveira Manaus – AM

Credit: Personal Archive

Credit: Personal Archive

The collective questions the lack of transparency in the project’s costs and criticises the absence of dialogue with local communities. “The symbolism of planting artificial trees in one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet exposes not only the disregard for traditional and scientific knowledge about the Amazon biome but also the lack of listening and dialogue with local, riverside, and indigenous communities,” the statement reads.

GOVERNMENT ARGUMENTS

In the announcement of the artificial tree installation, the Pará Secretariat of Public Works (Seop) argued that the “eco-trees” are made from repurposed rebar and climbing plants, providing shade in locations where natural trees could not be planted due to a lack of suitable soil.

“These structures do not replace trees or fulfil their functions, such as those of riparian forests, which should exist along riverbanks”

Vânia Neu, biologist and professor at the Federal Rural University of the Amazon (Ufra)

“In the middle of the Nova Doca landscape, a structure draws attention. These are sets of trees with lush canopies, full of green leaves that, like any other vegetation, provide shade and comfort for those passing through the area – with one difference: these trees are artificial,” the government states on the Seop website.

The department highlighted that the choice of artificial trees was inspired by similar structures found in Singapore, known for providing shade and thermal comfort in dense urban areas. “The goal was to

reduce urban heat islands in Belém. The road profile of Doca does not allow space for planting medium and large-sized trees,” Seop reported.

According to the Pará Secretariat of Public Work, a total of 88 eco-trees will be installed in the Nova Doca Linear Park and 100 in the Nova Tamandaré Linear Park. The government’s expectation is that the structures will help alleviate heat during the event and serve as a landscaping element for the population.

Environmental Impacts

Speaking to CENARIUM, biologist Vânia Neu, a professor at the Federal Rural University of the Amazon (Ufra), commented on the choice of artificial trees. She explains that the rebar structures do not replace the functions of natural trees, such as the preservation of riparian forests.

The specialist also highlighted that, given the significant investment, it would be more appropriate to invest in solutions that expand the city’s green areas, use permeable pavements, and address structural issues such as the lack of basic sanitation.

“These structures are, in fact, supports made of rebar on which plants in pots will be hung. This presents several problems.

Firstly, these structures do not replace trees or fulfil their functions, such as those of riparian forests, which should exist along riverbanks. Furthermore, these potted plants will need to be irrigated during dry periods. Is there an irrigation structure? If not, they will dry out and die, as small pots, like the proposed ones, do not retain water for long,” she explained.

“For COP, solutions should have been considered that would bring more green areas to the city, more permeable pavements, and, under no circumstances, promote deforestation. The works should have focused on addressing the lack of basic sanitation and the scarcity of trees in the city,” she concluded.

Government of Pará announced that 88 ‘eco-trees’ will be installed at the Nova Doca Linear Park

Credit: Sérgio Moraes | Guamá Foundation

Credit: Disclosure | Agência

Last clean creek under threat

Considered the last clean stream in Manaus, Água Branca feels the impacts of property developments around it

Letícia Misna – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS (AM) – Located in the Tarumã neighbourhood, in the West Zone of Manaus, Água Branca is considered the last clean stream cutting through the Amazonian capital. With more than a thousand river branches, according to data from the Amazonas Commercial Association (ACA), the city has turned these igarapés — a Tupi-origin word meaning "canoe path" — into veritable rubbish channels. Água Branca risks meeting the same fate.

According to biologist Arley Figueiredo, real estate speculation has increased property values in Manaus, drawing attention to the Tarumã region.

“Mansions, large condominiums, and housing developments are built around the Água Branca stream. And to make this possible, the riparian forest and the surrounding vegetation fragments are cleared for construction. Nowadays, the political struggle is intense, and we tend to lose,” he explained.

Part of Água Branca runs through the property of Jó Farah, who more than 20 years ago dedicated himself to the preservation and protection of the stream. President of the NGO Mata Viva, the activist works from prevention to combatting degradation around the last clean spring of the Rio Negro.

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira | Cenarium Magazine

The water, once clear, became muddy due to the concentration of soil dumped by construction works

“This stream faces multiple threats. Whenever there is deforestation or a new aggression against the stream, we go there, film it, and identify it. It must be made very clear to everyone: if you are an aggressor, if you are planning to invade the forest area of the Água Branca stream, do not come, because we will report you. We will take it to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, to Semmas [Municipal Secretariat for Environment and Sustainability], and to Ipaam [Amazonas Environmental Protection Institute]. We will not accept deforestation along the stream’s margins, let alone illegal occupations,” Jó warned.

Even with these initiatives, Água Branca is already feeling the impacts of real estate pressure in its surroundings. One such consequence can be seen in a video recorded by Jó Farah last year: the water, once clear, became muddy due to the concentration of soil dumped by construction works.

BORN FROM THE RIO NEGRO

The main preventive action by Mata Viva is to provide environmental education to new generations. Jó regularly welcomes students from Manaus’s public schools to his property so that they can experience and learn about the stream.

“It is unacceptable to see children of this age, and even older, growing up

without ever having seen a clean stream,” said the activist. He explained that his aim is to turn the students into multipliers of the experience. Jó also hopes that Água Branca will be recognised as an ecological corridor and an environmental heritage site of Manaus, a request already submitted to Semmas.

“Because when they return home, to the classroom, to their communities, they will replicate this positive experience of trekking, of spending an entire morning by a living stream within the forest to their friends and peers. They will say: ‘Look, you can’t throw rubbish here. It’s ugly, but let’s not make it worse. If we keep throwing rubbish, it will only get worse!’” he emphasised.

Liah Viana, aged 11, a 6th-year student at a public school, had her first contact with a naturally clean river branch through the project.

“The streams I saw weren’t this clean. They were somewhat dirty. There was usually rubbish,” she shared.

From the experience, she learned a valuable lesson:

“Today I learned that we shouldn’t deforest the forest, nor should we throw rubbish away. We must preserve the rivers. Because, without nature, we cannot live.”

“It must be made very clear to everyone: if you are an aggressor, if you are planning to invade the forest area of the Água Branca stream, do not come, because we will report you.”

Jó Farah, activist.

Industrial support

Speaking to CENARIUM, Jó Farah explained that the Industrial District of Manaus serves as a development model that, to some extent, has prevented more severe pollution, but it remains difficult to gain companies’ support for the environmental cause. Only recently did Mata Viva succeed in attracting the attention of one such company.

Public school students regularly visit the stream and learn how to preserve it

“We have had this relationship for a few months now. I speak from a place of responsibility because, being an industrialist belonging to the Manaus Free Trade Zone, we are aware of how much we produce in this large-scale production. We know that this waste, this excessive production, will eventually reach the streams. But not in Água Branca,” emphasised Matheus Garcia, a representative of an electronics components company from the Industrial Hub that decided to sponsor Água Branca.

The partnership between the industrialist and Mata Viva focuses primarily on raising awareness and sensitising the children living near the streams of Manaus.

“These streams are accustomed dumping grounds, and the idea is for these children to start developing good habits at home. Because, you see, we cannot demand behaviour from someone who doesn’t know better, who isn’t even aware such a reality exists,” said Matheus.

Income generation

Tourism is fundamental to the community’s survival, serving as the main source of income in Tumbira. Through this activity, the quality of life for families has improved, and community ties have been strengthened.

"It’s the complete opposite of my normal life. What I find remarkable about this community is that, although it is made up of only 40 families, the amount of work they do — the solar panels, the use of natural resources for farming, welcoming so many tourists, and being

so friendly — it’s incredible. It’s good to see that it’s possible, and everyone seems happy, which is the most important thing," shared Paprika Le Bourgeois, an MBA student based in Doha, Qatar.

At 5 p.m. on 17 April, the day’s visit ended with a unique moment that only the Amazon can offer: the release of 20 young turtles into the Rio Negro. As the visitors, preparing for their departure, watched in awe, they bid a symbolic "see you soon" to the forest.

successful projects that generate income while preserving the standing forest.

Both MBA students and professors experienced firsthand some of the challenges faced by the region, as well as witnessing the potential for economic growth in harmony with nature, as highlighted by Heiko Spitzeck, professor and director of the Sustainability Centre at Fundação Dom Cabral.

"We came here to understand how to do business with the forest standing — to take advantage of the wealth the forest offers in a way that sustains communities while preserving nature. It is a great pleasure for us, and a valuable learning opportunity, to see how the Sustainable Amazon Foundation works with communities to foster this type of enterprise," he said.

Tumbira is situated on the banks of the Rio Negro, within the Anavilhanas Archipelago region. Here, FAS is responsible for implementing initiatives aimed at economic, educational, cultural, and tourism growth, directly benefiting more than 140 riverside dwellers.

The visit concluded with the release of 20 young turtles into the Rio Negro

The immersion took place in the Tumbira Community, within the Rio Negro Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS), 64 kilometres from Manaus

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira Cenarium Magazine

Credit: Luiz André Nascimento | Cenarium Magazine

Where’s the pororoca?

Amazon communities raise concerns about the ‘disappearance’ of the phenomenon in rivers

Fabyo Cruz – From Cenarium

BELÉM (PA) – The pororocas, phenomena that occur at the meeting point of river waters and ocean tides, forming impactful waves in the states of Pará, Amapá, and Maranhão, are now under threat from climate change. This is the warning from riverside communities, surfers, and researchers, who observe a new scenario marked by uncertainty.

Surfer Allan Londres, 24, a resident of São Domingos do Capim in northeastern Pará—a city known as the "Pororoca Capital"—has been experiencing the phenomenon for over a decade. For him, surfing the waves created by the force of the waters is an experience that combines adrenaline and reverence for nature.

“The pororoca phenomenon is something inexplicable,” Allan says, his tone reflecting the excitement of someone intimately familiar with the waves. “It’s all about the alignment of the moon, the New

Moon, the Full Moon... It’s incredible!” he declared.

He fondly remembers the years when the waves were intense and frequent. “We didn’t see the pororoca here from 2019 until 2024,” he explains. “Now it’s back, but with less strength. In 2019, for example, it was very high, very big. Now, we see it appear, but it’s not the same anymore,” he says.

The daily lives of surfers and riverside dwellers who depend on the pororoca have changed, forcing adaptations and imposing limitations. The intensity of the wave varies with the alignment of celestial bodies and tidal heights, but the phenomenon is increasingly less impressive in its force. “We also surf at night, waiting for the moon to reflect on the water—an amazing spectacle,” says the surfer. However, he cautions, “But all of this is under threat!”

POROROCA MARAJOARA

For activist Izabel Cristina Miranda, 44, one of the founders of the Rio Mandubé Riverside Community in the municipality of Chaves, on the Marajó Archipelago in Pará, the pororoca is a symbol of cultural identity and an uncontrollable force of nature. She recalls her lifelong experience

with the strength of the waters. “I just wait for it to pass before continuing my journey, but I have relatives who enjoy following it. It’s literally the force of the waters,” she says. “I’m proud to belong to the People of the Marajoara Pororoca,” she adds.

Izabel recalls how, in the past, the pororoca was so constant it became part of Marajoara identity. “We even had people nicknamed Pororoca,” she says, highlighting how the phenomenon was always respected for its intensity and beauty. However, Izabel has also noticed changes in the pororoca’s patterns, which now no longer surge into the river with the same force as before. “It appears stronger in winter, and there’s still surfing at Ilha das Pacas, but the Mandubé River is drying up, and that’s very concerning,” she laments.

PRESERVATION EFFORTS

Both Allan and Izabel attribute the pororoca’s fragility to the impacts of climate change, which directly disrupt the balance of the Amazon’s rivers. Allan notes how global warming and deforestation are threatening the phenomenon’s existence. “This year, it came back, but much weaker. Global warming has really diminished our pororoca,” the surfer laments.

Natural phenomenon of the pororoca

Credit: Allan Londes | Personal Archive

Izabel also highlights the climate’s effects on the environment that sustains her community and traditions. “The pororoca has always been our strength. Seeing it disappear concerns us greatly. What will become of our culture and territory without it?” she asks, underscoring the profound connection Marajoara people have with the river and the pororoca.

Despite the challenges, the residents of São Domingos do Capim and Chaves remain committed to preserving the phenomenon. Allan and other local surfers organize events and competitions to draw attention to the cultural and touristic importance of the pororoca. “We do night surfing here too. At night, the moon reflects on the water, and the beauty is unmatched! But we don’t know how much longer this will be possible,” he says.

Izabel, meanwhile, is involved in collectives focused on preserving the rivers and riverside culture. As part of the “Daughters of the Marajoara Pororoca,” she participates in discussion groups and awareness events on environmental impacts. “I see my work as a fight for the continuity of our culture. Our pororoca cannot disappear!” Izabel declares.

Climate Change and Sedimentation

Speaking to CENARIUM, researcher

Adriel Guimarães Carneiro, a PhD candidate in geophysics at the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), shared insights into the characteristics and challenges faced by the pororoca waves in the Amazon and how the phenomenon has changed over time.

In Pará, the pororoca is well known in São Domingos do Capim, where, according to Adriel, the phenomenon occurs on a smaller scale and not consistently, depending on ideal tidal conditions. In Amapá, the pororocas are more intense due to the significant influence of tides on the state’s northern coast, with waves reaching impressive heights of up to 11 meters in areas like the Araguari River, Sucuriju, and Igarapé do Inferno.

The researcher explains that the pororoca depends on a “checklist” of factors to occur: an appropriate river geometry, ideal tidal conditions, the riverbed’s slope, and more. “Natural changes and human-induced activities can alter the extent and

intensity of the phenomenon, causing it to form in different locations from where it was previously observed or to occur less frequently,” Adriel said.

While the pororoca remains present in the region, the researcher warns of the risks that the phenomenon could diminish in intensity and frequency in certain areas. He explains that sedimentation—the accumulation of sediments at river mouths—can block the waves from advancing further inland, a phenomenon already observed in the Araguari River in central Amapá. In recent years, the river has developed a sandbar, restricting its course and hindering the pororoca.

Additionally, rising sea levels driven by climate change exacerbate this dynamic. As ocean waters advance, the transport of river sediments to the sea becomes more difficult. This results in the accumulation of sedimentary material at the riverbeds, forming compact layers that are hard to

remove, potentially altering the pororoca’s characteristics over time.

Human activities, especially through the construction of hydroelectric dams, also influence the phenomenon. While dams located at river sources do not directly affect coastal areas, they can alter the natural flow of rivers, indirectly impacting the pororoca. However, Adriel points out that the effect of these dams is secondary and that there is no clear certainty that reduced river flow necessarily compromises wave formation.

“The pororoca, once more common in past decades, now occurs mainly during the highest tides of the month, and its future remains uncertain,” said the researcher. Nonetheless, Adriel believes that advances in research and mathematical simulations on tides and sedimentation could provide better insights into the behavior of this Amazonian phenomenon and potentially predict its future in the region.

Fallen tree, a trail left by the pororoca

Minamata Disease: when mercury poisons

More than 70 years after one of the greatest environmental disasters, the world still feels the effects of mercury contamination.

Bianca Diniz – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS (AM) – Almost imperceptible to the sense of smell and invisible to the eye, mercury is a silent threat spreading along the banks of the Amazon’s rivers. This highly toxic chemical element infiltrates the waters and sediments, becoming part of an insidious cycle that begins with microscopic particles and culminates in the food chain of fish — a staple for the subsistence of riverside and Indigenous communities in the region. As it accumulates in the human body, the effects appear belatedly and are often irreversible.

In children, exposure to mercury does not manifest as acute poisoning, but through progressive neurological symptoms: delayed cognitive development, motor coordination disorders, and speech impairments. What might be mistaken for ordinary developmental delays is, in fact, a sign of chronic contamination affecting entire populations.

The Minamata Convention, established in 2013 and in force since 2017, arose as an international response to the environmental disaster that took place in Minamata

In the Amazon, the damage affects traditional populations who depend directly on contaminated natural resources

Credit: Reproduction | Sesai

Bay, Japan, in the 1950s. At the time, the chemical company Chisso Corporation dumped large quantities of methylmercury into the environment — a highly toxic compound formed when mercury mixes with organic matter — resulting in the poisoning of thousands of people and animals, with devastating consequences for human health and the destruction of local fauna.

The Minamata tragedy remains an undeniable milestone in the history of pollution and its devastating effects. In Japan, authorities recognised around 4,000 victims of mercury poisoning, but estimates reach approximately 70,000 people when including indirect damage, according to Japan’s Ministry of the Environment.

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

The warning issued by Minamata echoes today in the Amazon, where illegal gold mining drives the uncontrolled use of mercury. As in Japan, the effects of exposure to the element are particularly severe among pregnant women and children, with irreversible neurological impairment. The difference is that, in the Amazon, the damage affects populations who rely directly on contaminated natural resources, such as Indigenous peoples and extractivist communities whose diet is based on local fish.

Recent studies deepen the understanding of the cumulative effects of mercury exposure, which go beyond neurological disorders and include long-term systemic impacts. According to the Indigenous Mis-

Contamination in Brazilian Territory

A report from the Initial Assessment Project of the Minamata Convention, published by the federal government through the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA) in 2024, presents a summary of mercury contamination in Brazilian territory, with emphasis on the impacts caused by gold mining (both legal and illegal) in the Amazon.

According to the data, Brazil records an estimated annual mercury inflow ranging between 67,024 and 940,108 kg. The national inventory reveals that industrial gold extraction — even without the use of amalgamation (the traditional method associated with artisanal mining) — is the largest source of mercury emissions and releases in the country. On average, 64% of the total discharged originates from artisanal mining. Following this are informal solid waste disposal, cement production, and the use of electrical and electronic devices containing mercury.

The soil is the most impacted physical medium, receiving between 28% and 59% of the annual mercury load released, followed by solid waste, atmospheric emissions, and watercourses. The methodology used to construct this inventory

was based on the Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Mercury Releases, developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), applying Level 2, which requires a large volume of operational and statistical data.

The specific inventory on Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) describes the sector as heterogeneous and informal. Twenty-six mining areas in five states (Pará, Mato Grosso, Amapá, Bahia, and Rondônia) were analysed, with technical measurements of mercury metallurgical balance carried out in 14 locations. In 2016, between 11 and 161 tonnes of mercury were released into the atmosphere or discharged into soil and water bodies in Brazil, considering both legal and illegal production.

According to the MMA, the mercury used by miners is acquired without an invoice, at prices ranging from R$ 600.00 to R$ 1,200.00 per kilo. There is no active formal market, and online purchasing is described as accessible. The lack of effective regulation makes the sector a persistent vector of environmental contamination.

WHEN MERCURY POISONS

sionary Council (Cimi), in a 2020 report, the presence of the heavy metal compromises not only the health of local populations but also the integrity of ecosystems, reinforcing a cycle of socio-environmental degradation.

As research on the long-term effects of mercury exposure increases, it is evident that victims, often unaware of the imminent dangers, also suffer from systemic damage, such as cardiovascular and immune disorders. In the Amazon, illegal gold mining, linked to the indiscriminate use of mercury, exacerbates this scenario. According to Cimi, the impacts on Indigenous and riverside populations include, beyond health damage, the contamination of rivers and environmental destruction, resulting in a cycle of ecological and social deterioration.

These effects, however, are not confined to local borders. As highlighted by the United Nations Environment Programme

(UNEP) in 2019, mercury particles can be carried by atmospheric currents to distant regions. This makes mercury pollution a global and transnational problem. Countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, Venezuela, and the Philippines, which face the impacts of illegal mining and industrial pollution, share similar challenges in combating mercury poisoning.

The lack of oversight and the weakness of public policies in Brazil make the fight against contamination even more urgent. Mercury, used illegally and destructively in gold extraction, continues to contaminate rivers and harm the most vulnerable populations, perpetuating the damage caused by irresponsible extractive activities.

The lesson emerging from Minamata and its relevance to the Amazon is clear: without firm global action to control and eliminate the use of mercury, the consequences for human health and the environment will be irreversible.

Humanitarian Crisis

The report dedicates a section to the humanitarian and environmental crisis unfolding in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory (Yanomami IT), recognising the region as one of the most affected by mercury contamination in the world. Between 2016 and 2020, illegal mining within the Yanomami IT expanded by 3,350%, according to data from the MapBiomas project, coinciding with a rise in mercury presence in local ecosystems and in the food chain of Indigenous communities.

The most severely affected areas are Palimiu, Waikás, Auaris, Parima, Homoxi, Rio Mucajaí, Catrimani, and Ericó. In response, an interinstitutional environmental monitoring programme has been launched, coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai), and the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (Sesai).

Illegal gold mining, often associated with the indiscriminate use of mercury, further worsens this scenario in the Amazon

Credit: Disclosure

highest mercury levels were concentrated in villages close to mining activities. Contamination was verified through hair sample analysis, revealing a grim outlook for the health of the Yanomami people.

Paulo Basta, the study's coordinator, a doctor and researcher at Ensp/Fiocruz, highlighted the growing risk for children in the region, especially those under 5 years old, who are more vulnerable to the chronic exposure to mercury. “This vulnerability scenario exponentially increases the risk of illness in children and may lead to more severe clinical manifestations,” he said.

The Alto Rio Mucajaí, where the collections were carried out, is an area marked by the presence of illegal miners for decades. The environmental destruction caused by these activities affects not only the local ecosystem but also the health of the Yanomami population. Dário Vitório Kopenawa, Vice President of the Hutukara Yanomami Association (HAY), emphasized the urgency of the situation: “Mining is the greatest evil we have today in Yanomami Territory. The de-intrusion, the removal of these invaders, is urgent. If mining remains, so does contamination and devastation.”

A study analysed 287 hair samples in the Yanomami territory. Of these, 84% had mercury levels higher than 2.0 µg/g, and 10.8% had levels above 6.0 µg/g, considered an alarming level of contamination.

Contamination was confirmed through the analysis of hair samples, revealing a bleak outlook for the health of the Yanomami people

“Mining is the greatest evil we have today in Yanomami Territory. If mining remains, so does contamination and devastation.”

Dário Kopenawa, Vice President of the Hutukara Yanomami Association

Among the 287 hair samples analyzed, 84% showed mercury levels exceeding 2.0 µg/g, and 10.8% exhibited levels above 6.0 µg/g, considered an alarming contamination level. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that there is no safe threshold for mercury exposure, especially in vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. These mercury levels have caused neurological effects, such as cognitive deficits and nerve damage in extremities like hands and feet.

In addition to mercury contamination, the study also pointed to the prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases

among the Yanomami, such as hypertension, anemia, diabetes, and nutritional problems. Indigenous individuals with high blood pressure exhibited higher levels of mercury compared to those with normal pressure.

The study also analyzed mercury contamination in fish from the region, a primary food source for the Yanomami. The 47 fish samples assessed showed that all specimens were contaminated with mercury. The highest levels were found in carnivorous species, such as mandubé and piranha. The mercury intake from the daily consumption of fish exceeded three

A study on mercury contamination in the Munduruku communities in Pará shows that the devastating impacts of mercury have not ceased

Devastation of Rivers and Forests

Korap also denounced the invasion of indigenous territories by large companies and illegal mining, which continue to devastate the forests and rivers of the region. The leadership pointed to the direct relationship between the exploitation of these resources and the severe health issues affecting the Munduruku communities.

“A Fiocruz study found that 56% of women and children in Maturuka [Yanomami region], in the Amazon, were contaminated. This is not an issue exclusive to the Munduruku people. Indigenous people, fishermen, and even those living in cities are also becoming ill. These minerals are being taken to enrich the wealthy men even more,” Alessandra highlighted.

In addition to mercury contamination, Alessandra warned of another growing problem: drought. The water shortage in the rivers, vital for the survival of the communities, reflects the expansion of agricultural activities, especially soy cultivation aimed at the international market.

“Now we face another problem: drought. The rivers are drying up, the fish are dying, the animals have no water to drink, there are fires everywhere, we breathe smoke. But all of this has a name: the development of agribusiness to grow soy that feeds pigs and chickens, and which often leaves no space for our children, our women, our forests, and our rivers,” she denounced.

Alessandra also made an appeal for greater recognition of the role of indigenous women in the fight for the preservation of their lands and the protection of their rights. She highlighted the importance of women in resisting the advance of illegal mining, environmental destruction, and violations of territorial rights.

“We, the indigenous peoples, are begging for help here in front of you, who only listen to us but do nothing to solve our problems. Where are the solutions? There are rich countries and banks entering our territories and financing our deaths, destroying our rights,” Alessandra stated, holding the major powers and their corpo-

rations accountable for the worsening of the environmental and humanitarian crisis.

The activist was also emphatic in her criticism of the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF), accusing the Court of disrespecting the Constitution by discussing the Temporal Framework theory, which limits indigenous territorial rights.

“Even the Supreme Federal Court is against indigenous peoples when it disrespects the Constitution and wants us to sit at the table to discuss the Temporal Framework, allowing invaders into our lands,” she concluded.

For indigenous organisations, such as the Indigenous Missionary Council (Cimi), Korap’s intervention at the UN was yet another attempt to bring the discussion about the impacts of mercury and other environmental threats to the international stage. Alessandra also called for more research on the impacts of mercury on the Munduruku people — an urgent demand given the severity of the contamination and the difficulties faced by the affected communities.

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira

Cenarium Magazine

In addition to the direct impacts on human health, mercury pollution has also devastated the local biodiversity of the communities

Gold mining in the Amazon, historically carried out manually, has roots in illegal extractivist practices that date back centuries. However, in the past 50 years, the activity has grown to immeasurable proportions, driven by the indiscriminate use of mercury. This heavy metal continues to be widely used in gold amalgamation, resulting in severe environmental consequences and public health crises among indigenous peoples and riverine communities.

Initially, Amazonian gold mining was characterised by simple, manual extraction methods, such as the use of pans and sluices to separate gold from gravel. From the 1980s onwards, with the increased interest in gold and the mechanisation of the activity, the scale of mining grew exponentially. Equipment such as hydraulic excavators and dredgers transformed the landscapes of the Amazon, allowing for the removal of ever-in-

creasing volumes of earth to extract the precious metal.

The use of excavators and dredgers involves the massive removal of vegetation, alteration of riverbeds, and, in many cases, the destruction of river ecosystems. While this has increased gold production, mechanisation has also intensified the use of mercury, which has become the main extraction agent in mining activities.

Amalgamation—the technique that uses mercury to separate gold from earth—remains the predominant method among miners. The process relies on mercury's ability to form an alloy with gold, separating it from other minerals. For every gram of gold extracted, several times more mercury is used, leading to the excessive release of the metal into the region's rivers and soils.

It is important to highlight that the use of mercury in mining is not limited

to amalgamation. During the process of gravel removal, gold washing, and amalgam distillation, mercury is dispersed into the environment. Distillation, carried out improperly and without the use of retorts or vapour containment systems, is performed over open fires or with improvised torches, releasing toxic vapours into the air—which affect both workers and nearby populations.

In addition to the direct impacts on human health, mercury pollution has also devastated local biodiversity. Aquatic fauna, particularly fish such as tambaqui, pirarucu, and dourado, suffer from contamination, and some species are at risk of local extinction due to the destruction of ecosystems. The death of fish and the degradation of aquatic habitats directly affect the communities that depend on these resources for their sustenance.

Ancient Villain of the Amazon

Credit: Fernando Frazão | Agência Brasil

Damage to public health

Mercury contamination in the Amazon, although not a new phenomenon, has worsened in recent decades due to the intensification of illegal mining

Bianca Diniz – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS (AM) – Studies conducted by the University of British Columbia (UBC) show that mercury contamination in the ecosystems of the Amazon, resulting from mining activities, is causing serious damage to public health and the environmental balance of the region. The research indicates that the impacts observed in the Amazon are similar to those recorded in Minamata, Japan, where mercury poisoning affected an entire community.

Mercury ingestion causes serious neurological damage, mainly affecting children born to mothers exposed to the metal, who may suffer from congenital disabilities such as blindness and cognitive difficulties

Diagnosis: deep and irreversible damage

During the 363rd Ordinary Meeting of the National Health Council (CNS), held on 12th February, the senior researcher at the Sérgio Arouca National School of Public Health (Ensp/Fiocruz), Paulo Cesar Basta, presented a diagnosis on the impacts of illegal mining in the Amazon, highlighting the close relationship between health, the environment, and indigenous health.

The researcher stated that the growing contamination of rivers and Amazonian ecosystems, driven by illegal mining activities, is having a devastating effect on traditional populations. According to Basta, the indiscriminate use of mercury in the illegal extraction of gold further exacer-

bates the socio-environmental challenges already faced by these groups, whose livelihoods are directly dependent on the natural resources of the forest and rivers.

Basta emphasised that, even with the implementation of mercury control initiatives, the inefficacy of enforcement and the fragility of public policies only strengthen the problem. "The damage caused by mercury is profound and often irreversible," he warned.

He also highlighted the urgency of a stronger commitment from the Brazilian government, international organisations, and civil society to ensure that the fight against illegal mercury use is effective and

coordinated. Otherwise, the consequences for public health and the environment will be irreversible.

In his speech at the meeting, Basta explained the contamination process in detail: "The excess mercury dumped into the river does not mix with the water, as its density is 13 times greater. Instead, it settles at the bottom of the riverbed, where bacteria transform it into methylmercury — an organic form that enters the food chain, contaminating fish, algae, crustaceans, and other aquatic animals. When humans consume these fish, they end up ingesting the mercury, making fish the primary vehicle of contamination."

Once mercury enters the food chain, it is transferred to indigenous and riverine populations who depend on fish as their primary source of protein

The 6th Conference of the Parties (COP6) of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, scheduled for November 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, aims to discuss solutions to address the global threats posed by mercury pollution. According to information from the event organisers, the COP seeks to promote collective actions to protect human health and the environment, in a context of growing concern over the contamination of vital ecosystems, such as the Amazon, and the indigenous peoples who inhabit these regions.

Mercury COPs are held periodically, with the participation of the signatory countries

Mercury COP

of the Minamata Convention, which review the progress made and discuss new challenges. During COP-5, held in 2023, one of the central themes was the urgent need to reduce the trade and use of mercury.

COP-6 in 2025 will focus primarily on the agenda of eliminating mercury in artisanal mining and strengthening public policies aimed at protecting the indigenous and local communities affected by this contamination. The situation of indigenous peoples such as the Munduruku and Yanomami, who suffer from the impacts of mercury pollution, will be a

central topic of discussion, raising concerns at the global level.

Brazil plays a leading role in the COP-6 discussions, not only because it is one of the countries most affected by illegal mining, but also because it is one of the largest gold exporters in the world. The conference could represent a decisive moment for the future of the fight against mercury pollution, offering an opportunity for countries to review their commitments, adopt more effective measures to eliminate contamination sources, ensure the recovery of degraded areas, and protect vulnerable populations.

Commitment to Science in the Amazon

Founded in April 1995, the Bosque da

celebrates 30 years

MANAUS (AM) – On 1st April 1995, the Bosque da Ciência (Woods of Science, in free translation) was inaugurated, an area that the National Institute of Amazonian Research (Inpa) opened so that the public could have access to what the organisation produces: science. In 2025, the place celebrates 30 years since its opening, and its current coordinator, Jorge Lobato, shared with CENARIUM a bit about the history of the creation of the space.

According to Lobato, in the early 1990s, Inpa received a donation from the Navy of

a 13-hectare area in the Petrópolis neighbourhood, in the southern zone of Manaus. In the past, the land was used for logging to produce charcoal.

“That was the starting point for consolidating an area that was being degraded, mainly due to the favelization process in the region. The invasion by adjacent residents was constant,” said the coordinator.

Jorge Lobato explained that, initially, researcher Juan Revilla’s idea was to create a Botanical Garden in the location. The then-president of Inpa at that time, José

Ciência

Letícia Misna – From Cenarium Magazine

Children next to the Tanimbuca tree in the Bosque da Ciência

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira | Cenarium Magazine

2 MILLION

Over the past three decades, at least 2 million people have visited the manatees (Trichechus inunguis)

Seixas Lourenço, liked the initiative but wanted something different.

“The idea was to create a large open-air museum. No zoos or anything too similar to what already existed in Manaus. So, the concept of establishing a major scientific dissemination project for the institute arose,” he said.

At the same time, the Pilot Programme for the Protection of Tropical Forests in Brazil, also called “PPG7” (as it was created during a G7 meeting), required centres of excellence to create policies for disseminating scientific knowledge, further strengthening the birth of the Bosque of Science.

“It took almost three years to structure a scientific dissemination project for Inpa. So, the Bosque was born this way, from minds, from the contributions of various people,” highlighted Jorge Lobato.

SCIENCE AND SOCIETY

For the coordinator, who has been part of the process from the beginning, the initiative was something noble, as at that time, the socialisation of knowledge and the dissemination of science were still seen by the scientific community as “a very strange thing.”

“It was difficult to convince a doctor, a PhD, to understand that they could contribute, that they could communicate, especially with laypeople, with children. From that moment on, Inpa broke down these walls, opening up so that people could become integrated into everyday life. Inpa started to be accountable to society for what it does in science and technology in the Amazon,” he emphasised.

Jorge Lobato also highlighted that the biggest tool the institution uses is called “popularisation of science,” and that the place is no longer “Inpa’s Bosque“ but the “Bosque of Manaus, of Amazonas, of the Amazon.”

Attractions and itineraries

Currently, the Bosque da Ciência‘s itinerary includes the House of Science, Science Barn, Tanimbuca Island, Wooden House, Amazonian Lake, manatee tanks, giant otter enclosure, suspended trail, alligator enclosure, agroforestry trail, bee condominium, free fauna, and more.

Over these three decades, visiting the manatees (Trichechus inunguis) has become one of the site’s main attractions, having welcomed at least 2 million people.

“Most visitors come to see the manatee. Many people gather near the tank

glass. These visitors ask many questions and show great interest in them,” commented Antony Rodrigues Filho, a veterinarian from Inpa’s Department of Aquatic Biology, responsible for the Bosque da Ciência’s manatees for 11 years.

Antony is also part of the Association of Friends of the Manatee (Ampa), created in 2000 and operating in partnership with Inpa. The project fights for the protection and conservation of Amazonian aquatic mammals. Despite having “manatee” in its name, Ampa also assists river dolphins, giant otters, and otters.

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira

Cenarium Magazine

Rescue and release

Working with the species since 1974, Inpa created the first facilities for rehabilitating Amazonian manatees two years later, in 1976, at the Laboratory of Aquatic Mammals (LMA). Since then, the sector has focused on locating injured or vulnerable animals in their natural habitat (mainly due to illegal hunting), treating them, and returning them to the wild.

“When they arrive, they undergo clinical and physical examinations, and if any abnormalities are identified, they are treated. This is the rehabilitation phase, both nutritionally and for any diseases.

The animals are monitored here until the day of their release,” said the veterinarian.

For this return to occur safely, Antony explained that, besides being healthy, the animal needs to exhibit defensive instincts, as having a gentler personality can hinder its survival in the wild.

Over the years, more than 40 animals of the species have been reintroduced into nature. Currently, 68 are under Inpa’s care. “It is gratifying when we follow an animal from infancy. Many arrive here as newborns, and we manage to reintroduce them into nature. We feel a sense of duty fulfilled,” reported the doctor.

“The idea was to create a large open-air museum. No zoos or anything too similar to what already existed in Manaus”

Jorge Lobato, coordinator

Gardener of the Amazon

Antony also explains that the primary objective of LMA and Ampa is the preservation of the species. Considered the “gardener of the Amazon,” one of the manatee’s main functions is spreading the seeds of fruits they consume within the region’s ecosystem.

“The manatee is a species of great ecological importance. It acts as a seed disperser, controls river vegetation, and is an indicator of suitable fishing areas. Where there are manatees, there is food,” he commented.

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira Cenarium Magazine

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira | Cenarium Magazine

ies (Associação Brasileira de Estudos das Abelhas - Abelha).

According to the researchers, the high concentration of polyphenols and other bioactive compounds in the açaí palms is the primary factor behind the honey's properties. "Polyphenols act as antioxidants, neutralizing free radicals, and also possess anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and cardioprotective properties," explained Nilton Muto, a professor at the Federal University of Pará (UFPA).

The research team also includes scientists from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) and the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA). According to Muto, although not as essential as vitamins, bioactive compounds—naturally present in small amounts in plants

and animals—can influence biological functions and metabolic processes in the human body.

Additionally, the researchers identified that the honey has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antitumor properties, prompting the launch of a new study that is still underway.

DARK COLORATION

This concentration of bioactive compounds is also directly related to the honey's coloration, which shows darker tones when the levels of these substances are higher. Experts note that other factors, such as dehumidification processes and product maturation, can also influence its shade.

"In the case of açaí honey, it takes on a dark, almost black coloration, making it a unique market attraction. It is a distinct honey. I believe it will be very well received by the public and easily incorporated into gastronomy," stated Nilton Muto. The researcher also highlighted that the product has a less sweet flavor compared to others, with pronounced coffee-like notes.

“Polyphenols act as antioxidants, neutralizing free radicals, and also possess antiinflammatory, anticancer, and cardioprotective properties”

Nilton Muto, professor at the Federal University of Pará (UFPA).

Amazonas takes part in international forum

IAMazonia International Forum discusses solutions for socio-environmental justice

Izaías Godinho – From Cenarium Magazine*

MANAUS (AM) – The Chief Secretary of the Civil House of Amazonas, Flávio Antony Cordeiro Filho, represents the Governor of the State, Wilson Lima (União Brasil), at the IAMazonia International Forum, taking place in Rome, Italy, with the aim of discussing solutions for socio-environmental justice, ecological regeneration, and climate change mitigation.

The event begins this Tuesday, the 22nd, a date chosen by the United Nations (UN) as International Mother Earth Day. The day serves as a reminder of the interdependence between humanity and the planet to promote sustainable coexistence between peoples and the forest.

In a social media post, Flávio Antony emphasized the importance of Amazonas being at the congress and detailed his participation in the event:

“I will have the opportunity to give a lecture on public-private partnerships and legal instruments aimed at the sustainable development of Amazonas, a mission I carry with great responsibility and pride,” he wrote on Instagram.

In its public statement, IAMazonia states that it seeks to promote dialogue among representatives of governments, companies, traditional peoples, civil society organizations, and environmental ecosystem specialists.

Chief Secretary of the Civil House of Amazonas, Flávio Antony Cordeiro Filho, represented the State at the IAMazonia International Forum

Credit: Composition by Paulo Dutra | Cenarium

“I will have the opportunity to give a lecture on public-private partnerships and legal instruments aimed at the sustainable development of Amazonas, a mission I carry with great responsibility and pride.”

Flávio Antony Cordeiro Filho, Chief Secretary of the Civil House of Amazonas

Headquartered in Rome, IAMAZONIA proposes a global approach to local issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, and the challenges faced by traditional communities.

The exchange of experiences and innovative practices among countries and regions is one of the main features of the forum, which

advocates for a new model of sustainable economy based on standing forest.

Based on the organization’s history, the presence of Amazonas representatives is strategic, considering that the state holds one of the largest expanses of tropical forest in the world and plays a key role in global environmental conservation.

Focus on regional reality

Deforestation and wildfires, combined with climate change, are among the causes of changes in the hydrological regime of the Amazon rivers, which have become more intense in recent years, leading to the occurrence of more severe floods and droughts with shorter intervals.

An example was the historic drought of 2023, which caused the largest drop in river levels ever recorded in the region. On the Rio Negro, the water level at the Port of Manaus reached 14.75m, the lowest level ever recorded since the beginning of the historical series in 1902.

According to Jochen Shöngart, a researcher at the National Institute for Amazonian Research (Inpa), just in the first two decades of the 21st century, nine events of severe flooding were recorded, the same number registered throughout the entire previous century.

Shöngart also pointed out that the increase in the amplitude of the flood and drought in the Amazon has shown a variation of 1.6 meters. This causes the rivers to dry up earlier than expected or the opposite. This change has impacts especially on flooded forest areas, with major consequences for economic activities and also for the riverside populations of the Amazon, who depend on these resources for their survival.

(*) With information from Agência Brasil

Foto: Disclosure Idam

Brasília: 65 years of history, architecture and culture

Brazil’s capital celebrated its 65th anniversary on 21 April with a free cultural programme at the Esplanade of Ministries

Ana Cláudia Leocádio – From Cenarium Magazine

BRASÍLIA (DF) – Under the theme "The Best Time is Now", Brasília celebrated the 65th anniversary of its foundation on 21 April. Conceived by then-president Juscelino Kubitschek, Brazil’s capital was inaugurated in 1960 on the Central Plateau, aiming to transfer the administrative seat of power from Rio de Janeiro to the country’s interior.

In 2025, the Government of the Federal District (GDF) organised a three-day free programme, with musical performances

and cultural attractions at the Esplanade of Ministries — an avenue that hosts the administrative buildings of the three branches of power and serves as a stage for popular demonstrations.

The theme chosen for the 65th anniversary, according to the GDF, seeks to value the city’s cultural diversity, strengthen the sense of belonging among Brasília’s residents, and offer attractions for all audiences. The programme included performances by artists from

Brazilian Popular Music and the Federal District, as well as singers from the gospel music scene.

A photographic exhibition entitled Brasília, Yesterday and Today was also inaugurated at the Brasília Museum of Art (MAB), narrating the city’s history from its construction to the present day, highlighting its modernist architecture — characterised by straight and curved lines, cobogós (ventilated hollow bricks), and exposed concrete buildings.

Under the theme "The Best Time is Now", Brasília seeks to value the city's cultural diversity and strengthen the sense of belonging among its residents

Credit: Ana Cláudia Leocádio | Cenarium Magazine

2.8 MILLION

According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), this is the total number of inhabitants of the federal capital, which ranks among Brazilian cities with the best quality of life

Architect Oscar Niemeyer was responsible for designing the city's iconic buildings, such as the Palácio da Alvorada, the official residence of the president; the Palácio do Planalto, seat of the Executive Power; the Palácio da Justiça; and the National Congress, seat of the Legislative Power.

It fell to Lúcio Costa, winner of the urban planning competition, to design the city's urban layout, conceived in the shape of a cross — reminiscent of an aeroplane — where the North and South Wings concentrate most of the Pilot Plan's residential areas, while the "nose" of the aircraft houses the headquarters of the Three Branches of Government.

The idea of moving the capital

According to a publication by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the idea of creating Brasília dates back to the 19th century, when José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, known as the Patriarch of Independence, proposed in 1823 the creation of a capital in the country's interior, suggesting the name Brasília. The idea was to stay away from the ports in the name of national security.

"The mystical vocation of Brasília begins when the dream of Dom Bosco is incorporated into its history. The Italian saint dreamt of a very wide and long depression, starting from a point where a great lake would form, between parallels 15º and 20º, and repeatedly heard a voice saying that ‘... when they come to dig the hidden mines, in the middle of these mountains, here shall arise the promised land, flowing with milk

and honey. It shall be an inconceivable wealth...’", says the IBGE.

The Central Plateau Exploratory Commission of Brazil was created, led by Luiz Cruls, which began studies in 1892. The survey results were ready in 1894 and were delivered to the republican government, as the monarchy had fallen in 1889.

Only in 1955 was a quadrilateral of 50,000 square kilometres delimited, forming the Federal District, affectionately known as the "little square", with Brasília as its capital. Works began in 1956 under the command of then-president Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, with the workforce of the candangos, the first residents of the capital who moved to work on building the new seat of power.

After four years, the basic structure of the city was inaugurated. It currently

houses 2.8 million inhabitants, according to the 2022 IBGE Census, and ranks among the Brazilian cities with the highest quality of life. Nevertheless, the city faces challenges such as wage inequality between genders and races, as well as income disparities between different administrative regions, according to data from the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea) in 2024.

The architectural and urban ensemble of Brasília was inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site on 7 December 1987. On 14 March 1990, the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) listed the capital’s urban ensemble. The heritage listing is important to ensure the preservation of the city’s artistic, cultural, and architectural characteristics.

The Pilot Plan in the shape of a cross was designed by architect Lúcio Costa

According to Detran-AM, in the capital alone, there are 591,939 cars, 335,123 motorbikes, 44,042 lorries and 23,129 buses

Urban Chaos

With nearly 1 million vehicles on the streets, Manaus is on the verge of traffic collapse; experts suggest solutions

Ana Pastana – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS (AM) – Data from the Amazonas State Department of Transit (Detran-AM) indicates that the vehicle fleet in Manaus alone is nearing the 1 million mark. By March this year, the capital of Amazonas had registered over 990 thousand vehicles on the streets. Experts interviewed by CENARIUM MAGAZINE warn of the need for solutions to minimise the impact of a potential “urban chaos”.

With approximately 52 thousand vehicles circulating daily, according to the agency, the fleet has increased by more than

5.56% compared to the year 2024. For the Director of Engineering at the Municipal Institute of Urban Mobility (Immu), engineer Uarodi Pereira Guedes, a specialist in urban mobility management, the responsible authorities should prioritise public transport as one of the solutions to ease the city's traffic.

“Cities must adopt a set of actions to mitigate problems stemming from fleet growth, such as: prioritising public transport; encouraging non-motorised transport; improving road infrastructure with road

widening, bridge and flyover construction, new North-South and East-West links; investing in new technologies for traffic monitoring; investing in programmes, projects, and awareness campaigns for traffic education,” he states.

Among the main types of vehicles, according to Detran-AM, in the capital alone there are 591,939 cars, 335,123 motorbikes, 44,042 lorries and 23,129 buses. Guedes rules out solutions such as vehicle rotation, as implemented in cities like São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasília,

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira | Cenarium Magazine

aimed at reducing the number of cars on the road. “Regarding rotation schemes, I am not in favour, since implementing restrictions could encourage the purchase of another vehicle to drive on the banned days,” he said.

Urban Mobility specialist Manoel Paiva reinforces that the key to reducing the impact of the intense flow on Manaus' streets and avenues is to prioritise the quality of the city’s public transport system, and to invest in adequate infrastructure so that

Increase in Road Traffic Fatalities

In 2024, the Immu issued 400 thousand fines. The agency also recorded a 21% increase in the number of deaths caused by road accidents, amounting to 309 people who lost their lives — 158 of whom were motorcyclists. This figure is the highest recorded in 24 years.

According to the specialist, the rise in accidents reflects the quality of the transport options available to the city’s population. “It is worth investigating the root of the demand that leads a person to choose riding pillion with a stranger, paying more than a bus fare, and still facing heavy traffic in a relatively unsafe vehicle,” says Paiva.

“We have no doubt whatsoever that the solution to this serious problem, which we face every year, will only worsen if managers do not commit to reviewing the current confusing mobility”

Manoel Paiva, Urban Mobility specialist.

52 thousand

This is the total number of vehicles circulating daily on the streets of Manaus. According to Detran-AM, the daily fleet has increased by 5.56% compared to the year 2024.

the population has alternative and safer means of commuting.

“We are witnessing the onset of urban chaos. We have no doubt whatsoever that the solution to this serious problem, which we face every year, will only worsen if managers do not commit to reviewing the current confusing mobility system and prioritising collective transport for those living in the outskirts; improving pedestrian walkability conditions; implementing improvements for cyclists; and stepping up road system operations, monitoring the roads to prevent so many deaths from occurring in traffic every day,” the specialist emphasises.

According to Paiva, just over half of Manaus’ population relies on less than 5% of the available public transport fleet during peak hours. “Today in Manaus, 55% of the population has access to only 2% of the public transport fleet during peak times. Meanwhile, 93% of the individually owned passenger fleet registered in Manaus [cars and motorbikes] serves 40% of the city’s population,” he highlights.

Traffic Jams at All Hours

Previously, the capital of Amazonas, like other major cities, experienced heavy traffic during peak hours, typically at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. According to app-based driver Gustavo César, who deals with the city’s traffic daily, congestion is no longer limited to just those times.

“Now, at any time of day you head out, you come across some avenue or street that’s at a standstill [jammed]. Even the side streets we used to take to avoid traffic don’t help anymore, because everyone else is also trying to take shortcuts, which ends up overloading the [side] streets,” he told CENARIUM

Journalist Maria Eduarda Furtado, who lives in the city’s North Zone and works in the South-Central Zone, is a regular user of public transport. She says she has to leave home around midday in order to arrive at her destination by 2 p.m.

“I leave at 12 p.m. to get there by 2 p.m. I take a bus to the terminal, which is six minutes from my house, but the journey ends up taking 20 minutes due to the number of vehicles. At the terminal, I catch a bus that drops me about a kilometre from work. If I want to get closer [to work], on rainy days for example, I have to leave home at 11 a.m. in order to get there by 2 p.m.,” she explained.

The report contacted Immu to request information regarding traffic monitoring efforts and measures to improve traffic flow in the capital, but as of this edition’s deadline, there had been no response.

Credit: Personal Archive

Free peoples, threatened rights

Publication reveals that Amazonas leads in records of voluntarily isolated Indigenous peoples and highlights threats to the rights of native peoples

Ana Cláudia Leocádio - From Cenarium

BRASÍLIA (DF) – The state of Amazonas leads in the concentration of isolated Indigenous peoples, primarily in the Javari Valley (Vale do Javari in Portuguese), on the border with Peru, with 48 references. This is outlined in the book Free/Isolated Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon and the Gran Chaco, published by the Indigenous Missionary Council (Cimi), in Brasília (DF). According to the publication, Cimi has recorded the presence of 119

such groups living in isolation, with only one located outside the Brazilian Amazon.

“Free Peoples” is how Cimi’s Support Team for Free Peoples (Eapil/ Cimi) defines the Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation (PIA). It is a “way of emphasising the determination for autonomy and self-determination expressed by these peoples through distancing from the non-Indigenous world,” according to the organization.

Of the 119, Amazonas accounts for 48 records, one of which is shared with Pará, which, according to Cimi, has 17 groups in isolation recorded. The state of Rondônia has 16 groups, followed by Roraima with nine. Maranhão reports eight, while Acre has registered six and Amapá, two. Tocantins has just one record.

The list from Eapil/Cimi differs from that produced by the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai), as the Cath-

Aerial view of isolated Indigenous peoples in the Javari Valley, Amazonas

Credit: G.Miranda | Funai

olic organization operates independently and includes field research and information collected from the federal agency and other Indigenous advocacy entities. Funai recorded 114 isolated peoples, of which only 28 are officially recognised.

According to Cimi, almost a third of these groups, 37 in total, are located in areas with no protective measures, such as restricted access, territorial demarcation, or effective protection by Funai.

SITUATION IN AMAZONAS

In Amazonas, according to the authors, the largest number of records of isolated

Indigenous peoples is concentrated mainly in the Vale do Javari Indigenous Territory (IT), a border region with Peru, with more than 15 presence references. The Matis, of recent contact, and the Korubo, known as “club-wielders”, are highlighted. Both were subjected to forced contact in the 1970s, according to the publication.

The authors argue that Funai’s Ethno-environmental Protection Bases (Bapes) in Vale do Javari IT have proven insufficient to prevent the invasion of illegal miners, loggers, fishermen, and hunters. It was in this region that Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira and British journalist Dom Phillips were murdered in June 2022.

The publication also highlights numerous reports of isolated Indigenous presence in the southern region of the state and raises concerns over increasing deforestation around the Trans-Amazonian Highway (BR-230) and BR-319.

“Among the most threatened are the isolated Indigenous peoples of Tenharim IT, in the area influenced by the proposed Machadinho hydroelectric project; the isolated Katawixi, whose territory has been subjected to severe illegal deforestation; and an isolated Indigenous group, presumably Juma, which will be affected by the paving of BR-319,” the book states.

Evento de lançamento do livro do Cimi, em Brasília (DF)

Credit:Ana Cláudia Leocádio | Cenarium

Panorama in the Amazon

RORAIMA

In the state of Roraima, Cimi has catalogued several isolated groups within the Yanomami Indigenous Territory (IT), threatened by the invasion of illegal miners since the 1980s, with murders of uncontacted individuals being recorded.

Another isolated indigenous people located in the state is the Pirititi group, on the border with Amazonas, where operations by environmental agents and federal government security forces have already seized illegal timber and confirmed large areas of deforestation. The area once had a Funai ordinance restricting use, but since 2022, the legal instrument has not been renewed, according to the authors.

ACRE

In Acre, the presence of various isolated peoples is recorded along the Brazil-Peru border, where both countries share territory with ethnic groups such as the Manchineri, Yaminawa, Ashaninka, Huni Kuin (Kaxinawá), Arara do Acre, and Nukini. Considered cross-border, the Mashco Piro are located in the region of the upper Purus, Acre, Iaco, and Chandless rivers, and in the headwaters of the Upper Rio Piedras and Tahuamanu.

RONDÔNIA

The authors of “Free Peoples” consider Rondônia “one

of the Amazonian states where violence has affected isolated indigenous peoples most intensely and brutally in the last 60 years, with the construction of many roads and the expansion of colonisation projects promoted by governmental development policies.”

“Extermination groups acted with impunity on behalf of land grabbers, loggers, and farmers to ‘clean the territory’ and erase all traces of indigenous presence that could lead to territorial protection measures by the state,” states a passage from the publication.

The survivors of this violence are cited as the eight remaining members of the Akuntsu and Kanoê peoples in the Omerê IT, and the “Indian from the Hole,” the last survivor of his group, who recently passed away, with discussions now underway about what to do with his land.

Five records of isolated indigenous presence have been registered in the northern region of Rondônia and southern Amazonas, in the area of influence of the Jirau and Santo Antônio hydropower plants, inaugurated in 2012 and 2016, respectively.

Three peoples are at risk in the central region of the state, according to the book, located within the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau IT, where more than a thousand

invaders are estimated to be in the territory.

MATO GROSSO

The particularities surrounding the state of Mato Grosso, with intense agribusiness presence, high deforestation rates, and land conflicts, also threaten the isolated peoples registered there.

The Piripkura people suffered the final massacre in the 1980s and currently have only three survivors, two of whom live in isolation. Despite the Funai ordinance restricting use, the Piripkura IT continues to be invaded.

Another isolated indigenous people, the Tupi-Kawahiva, in the same region, live in the Rio Pardo IT under threat from loggers and land grabbers, who do not respect the restrictions imposed by Funai.

PARÁ

The second Brazilian Amazon state with the highest number of records of isolated peoples, the greatest threat to these groups in Pará occurs in the Tapajós and Xingu river basins, according to Cimi.

“There is considerable information about the presence of isolated indigenous peoples in the middle and upper Tapajós River, in the Munduruku IT, the Sawre Muybu IT, the Amazon National Park, and near

BR-230, in the municipality of Itaituba. There are consistent eyewitness reports from Munduruku, Sateré-Mawé, and riverside dwellers about traces of isolated presence and even sightings,” the authors state in the book.

One concern is the absence of Funai in the investigative efforts to confirm the presence of these peoples in the region and in adopting the necessary territorial protection measures.

MARANHÃO AND TOCANTINS

In Maranhão, records of several isolated Awá groups exist, who already occupy demarcated lands (Arariboia IT and Krikati IT), but still face threats from illegal logging. “Of the 415 thousand hectares, about 35% (185 thousand hectares) have already been completely destroyed by logging activities,” they state.

The Tentehara/Guajajara people of the Arariboia IT have even created a project called “Guardians of the Forest” to combat the invasion of loggers, but invasions and threats continue to occur.

The last state to become a federal entity, Tocantins, has reference to only one isolated indigenous people, located on the Bananal Island in the Inãwébohona IT, who still do not have Funai protection measures in place.

is internationally recognized for defending Indigenous rights and protecting the Amazon rainforest. He is co-author of The Falling Sky and The Spirit of the Forest, and holds honorary doctorate titles from both the Federal University of Roraima (UFRR) and the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp).

DEFENCES

According to Dr Iraildes Caldas, director of the Institute of Philosophy, Human and Social Sciences (IFCHS), the thesis

defences did not follow traditional academic structures.

“The defence wasn’t a conventional written thesis, a dense academic text. There was a script, but the defence was presented through Yanomami cultural expressions. One of them, who focused on Yanomami body painting, used his own body to display the artistic elements. He explained the meanings and symbolism of the visual aspects on his body to the examination committee,” she explained.

Between traditional knowledge and formal education

The three educators who defended their master’s theses—Odorico Xamatari Hayata Yanomami, Edinho Yanomami Yarimina Xamatari, and Modesto Yanomami Xamatari Amaroko—are from the municipality of Santa Isabel do Rio Negro (631 km from Manaus) in the Upper Rio Negro. All three previously earned undergraduate degrees from Ufam in Indigenous Education – Educational Policies and Sustainable Development – Yanomami focus. They also teach in two Xaponos (Yanomami collective houses) along the Marauiá River, where they serve as local leaders, building bridges between traditional knowledge and formal education.

They joined the PPGSCA in 2023 through a special cohort offered off-campus in São Gabriel da Cachoeira (852 km from the state capital). With support from Ufam and scholarships provided by the Amazonas State Research Foundation (Fapeam), their research focused on their people's ancestral knowledge, including themes such as music, chants, shamanic rituals, and teaching the Yanomami mother tongue to children.

Program coordinator Caio Augusto Teixeira Souto told CENARIUM that the students were affected by the 2023 drought, which isolated them due to the dry season.

“They lost contact with the São Gabriel academic hub. Where they live, the internet connection is poor. We managed to get in touch and travelled there—me and Professor Agenor, who has a degree in Anthropology. We spent a month there to ensure they could catch up on missed coursework. It was a learning experience for us, too,” he said.

The defences took place on April 23 at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. in the Rio Solimões auditorium at IFCHS, Ufam’s North Campus. Students Odorico, Edinho, and Modesto presented their research in the presence of Davi Kopenawa.

From left to right: Indigenous participant Odorico Xamatari Hayata, Indigenous participant Modesto Yanomami Xamatari Amaroko, Professor Dr Iraildes Caldas, and Indigenous participant Edinho Xamatari

Coordinator of the PPGSCA, Caio Augusto Teixeira Souto

Justice for (Almost) all women

Research highlights the difficulties Indigenous women face in accessing the Maria da Penha Law Ian Vitor Freitas – From Cenarium

BOA VISTA (RR) – Geographical distance, ethnic barriers, and insensitivity in dealings are some of the obstacles that prevent Indigenous people from accessing justice. This is according to researcher Mávera Teixeira, from the Macuxi ethnic group, author of the study “Indigenous Women in Roraima: between the reach and advancement of gender perspectives on the Maria da Penha Law (LMP)”. The research aims to investigate the challenges faced by these individuals in

Indigenous woman walking with a child in her arms

Credit: Fernando Frazão | Agência Brasil

effectively accessing the measures outlined in Law No. 11,340, the LMP.

The work has been ongoing since 2020, with the goal of understanding how the law functions and how it can also be applied to more vulnerable groups, in this case, Indigenous women. Drawing on her own experiences, the researcher seeks to broaden the discussion on the subject and highlights prevention, protection, and the fight against domestic violence.

“The issue needs to be placed as a main focus because many cases occur and need

Mávera had the opportunity to present the project at the fifth edition of the Mundos Indígenas International Congress, America (V COIMI, Abya Yala). The event was held at the Paricarana Campus of the Federal University of Roraima (UF-RR) and at the Indigenous Community of Tabalascada, located in the municipality of Cantá (RR), from 20th to 23rd August 2024.

According to the author, after attending the event, she began to view the

“One of the main obstacles that women face is access to justice itself. There is geographical distance, ethnic barriers in our society, language issues, and even the insensitivity of some institutions.”

Mávera

Teixeira, researcher of the Macuxi ethnic group, author of the study "Indigenous Women in Roraima: Between the Reach and the Advancement of Gender Perspectives on the Maria da Penha Law (LMP)".

to be debated both in the educational sphere, the legislative sphere, and also in the judiciary. One of the main obstacles that women face is access to justice itself. There is geographical distance, ethnic barriers in our society, language issues, and even the insensitivity of some institutions”, says the study’s author.

The researcher points out that states must act with due diligence, applying a comprehensive perspective that addresses the particularities of Indigenous women. Among these particularities, she mentions

International Congress

issue with greater empathy. The current intention is not only to portray women as victims but also as protagonists of their own stories, as heroines of their territories.

“Participation in the seminar was very interesting. I ended up talking to other women from different Indigenous lands, researchers, and those who are part of the movement discussing how the law has not yet reached women in these territories,

economic conditions, the vulnerability of culture, as well as the provision of a multidisciplinary team of professionals that respects culture and worldview.

“Incorporating a gender focus, training legal professionals on intercultural and gender issues is important. I believe states should evaluate the cultural aspects of victim identification, break the prejudices and stereotypes that exist. With these considerations, the Maria da Penha Law would achieve its intended purpose”, she emphasised.

even though it is meant for all women in Brazil”, she noted.

The event also brought together various researchers, professors, Indigenous leaders, activists, artists and writers. They discussed topics involving school education, health, Indigenous art and literature, the history of ancestral peoples, Indigenous language, and verbal artefacts, among others.

Researcher Mávera Teixeira, of the Macuxi ethnic group

Tragic ranking

Pará led

rape

cases in the Legal Amazon in 2024

MANAUS (AM) – Data from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) reveals that Pará topped the ranking of states in the Legal Amazon with the highest number of rape cases in 2024, recording 4,727 occurrences. Mato Grosso ranked second with 2,715 cases, followed by Maranhão with 1,805. Amazonas and Rondônia also showed alarming numbers, with 1,552 and 1,414 cases, respectively. Meanwhile, Tocantins (979), Acre (678), Amapá (658),

and Roraima (607) registered lower but equally concerning figures.

Brazil as a whole recorded 78,395 rape cases throughout 2024, which equates to 214 victims per day or approximately nine victims per hour. São Paulo leads the national ranking, with 14,827 incidents, averaging 44 victims per day. The actual figure is likely higher, as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Alagoas, and Roraima did not report data for December 2024.

Lawyer Amanda Pinheiro, president of the As Manas Institute, emphasizes that the recorded figures, particularly in Brazil’s Northern Region, highlight a cultural foundation of normalizing sexual crimes.

“Combating this type of violence must start at the root in domestic and family education, as well as in schools. Police intervention only addresses the crime after it has occurred, while the State is responsible for pursuing punitive action against the perpetrator”, she explains.

The report also shows a 4.54% reduction in 2024 compared to 2023, when 82,191 cases were recorded. Women remain the primary victims, with 67,883 cases, while 9,682 victims were male.

The year 2024 also saw a significant number of femicides, with 1,399 cases reported—four women killed per day. São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Bahia rank as the

Woman overlaid on the map of the State of Pará

Thais Matos – From Cenarium

Credit: Composition by Paulo Dutra | Cenarium

Violence against farmers

Farming families in Pará suffered a violent attack by armed men. Gunmen invaded the area, tying up residents, including children and a pregnant woman

From Cenarium Magazine

BELÉM (PA) – Farming families camped at the Campo do Boi Farm, located in the municipality of Ipixuna do Pará, 255 kilometres from the state capital, Belém, were victims of a violent attack carried out by armed men. According to reports received by regional leaders, gunmen invaded the camp, tied up residents — including children and a pregnant woman — and set fire to at least three houses.

The incident took place on International Peasant Struggle Day, a date that commemorates the Eldorado do Carajás Massacre, which occurred 29 years ago in southern Pará. This time, the violence was repeated in the northeastern part of the state, spreading

terror in a community that has lived on the public state land for over ten years and survives through family farming.

Reports gathered by local organisations indicate that the criminals acted with extreme brutality. “They tied up the people near the house that was burning. The people almost died from the fire as well. It was a very complicated situation,” says one of the accounts received by the National Confederation of Workers and Workers in Family Farming of Brazil (Contraf Brasil/ CUT).

Since the attack, there has been difficulty in contacting several families, which has caused significant distress among the local residents. The presence of children

Regional leaders report that the criminals acted with extreme brutality.

and a pregnant woman exacerbates the already concerning situation. “There are many children involved. The woman was pregnant. The situation is critical. No one knows what to do,” reported a local leader.

The complaint was formalised by Contraf Brasil and the State Federation of Workers and Workers in Family Farming of Pará (Fetraf-PA). In a statement, the organisations vehemently condemned the incident, labelling it a “barbaric act” against farming families who are fighting for land to live on and produce. Both organisations are demanding an immediate response from public authorities.

Fetraf-PA has also been trying for some time to arrange a meeting with the Governor of Pará, Helder Barbalho (MDB), to discuss the situation of families occupying the area — which belongs to the state — but has not received any response. According to information from Contraf Brasil, the Ministry of Agrarian Development (MDA) has also attempted to engage in dialogue with the state government, without success.

“What is at stake is the life and dignity of farming families, who only want a piece of land to live on and produce. It is essential that state and federal authorities coordinate and act to protect those who live and work in the countryside,” says Auri Júnior, coordinator of the land access department at Contraf Brasil.

Fetraf-PA also publicly stated: “This is public land legitimately occupied by more than 800 families, who have turned abandonment into a source of life. These are workers who today supply markets in Ipixuna do Pará, Paragominas, Aurora, Mãe do Rio, and markets in the capital, Belém.”

The organisations reported that they informed the National Agrarian Ombudsman and the Pará State Secretariat of Public Security and Social Defence (Segup)about the attack. They are now demanding urgent and concrete measures to ensure the safety of the families and prevent further incidents of violence in rural areas.

“We cannot allow violence to replace dialogue, and impunity to silence the countryside,” concludes the statement.

“What is at stake is the life and dignity of farming families, who only want a piece of land to live on and produce.”

Auri

Júnior, coordinator of land access at Contraf Brasil.

Efforts to Identify the Perpetrators

The Secretariat of Public Security and Social Defence (Segup) informs that it is monitoring all actions in the area. Additionally, the Military Police responded immediately to the incident during the early hours of the morning at Campo do Boi Farm. They even took the victims to the police station to file the report.

IN A PUBLIC STATEMENT, CONTRAF

BRASIL DEMANDS:

► That the Governor of Pará urgently meet with representatives from the movements

► That the Ministry of Justice, MDA, and the Human Rights Secretariat act immediately to ensure the safety of the families

The Civil Police has already heard all testimonies, requested forensics, and opened a police investigation to resolve the case swiftly. Reinforcements have been sent to the region, and both Military and Civil Police teams are working to identify and hold the perpetrators accountable.”

► That those responsible for the criminal actions be investigated and held accountable

► That the State of Pará assumes its responsibility over the area and contributes to a peaceful and definitive solution

It is important to highlight that only 30% of Pará’s territory falls under state jurisdiction, while 70% is under federal responsibility, requiring coordinated action with the Union. In September this year, the State requested support from the federal government to increase resources allocated to fighting fires.

Additionally, Pará is part of the National Multi-Agency Integrated Operational Coordination Centre (Ciman), coordinated by the federal government. The centre brings together bodies such as the Ministry of the Environment, Ibama, ICMBio, Funai, Censipam, and Incra, as well as state rep-

55.513

Between 1st January and 22nd December 2024, Pará recorded 55,513 wildfires, accounting for 20.1% of the national total, according to Inpe.

resentatives, to align strategies and joint actions for combating wildfires.

At the state level, Operation Phoenix received reinforcement with 40 new firefighters, totalling 120 professionals distributed across five task forces. Eight new fire-fighting vehicles and fire beaters were also added to the three already in operation, along with the support of two helicopters for aerial fire suppression.

During this period, the forest has become more flammable, which explains the increase in heat spots, even amid the historic reduction in deforestation in Pará — which in 2024 saw a 28.4% decrease in the deforestation rate, surpassing the 21% decline recorded in the previous two years (2023 and 2022), according to data released by the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe).”**

Amazon leads wildfires in 2024; Brazil totals 278,000 outbreaks

From Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – Brazil recorded 278,229 fire outbreaks in 2024, the worst figure since 2010, when 319,383 such occurrences were reported. The number of outbreaks rose by 46% compared to the 189,891 recorded in 2023, according to data from the BD Queimadas programme of the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe).

The fire season in Brazil started earlier than usual in 2024. In February and March, major fires broke out in Roraima, and in the Pantanal, the flames began to spread as early as June.

The largest share (140,328) of fire outbreaks was detected in the Amazon — a 42% increase compared to the previous year in the biome. This was the highest level since 2007, when 186,463 outbreaks were recorded.

In the Cerrado, there were 81,432 outbreaks, a 60% rise from 2023. This is the highest number since 2012, which recorded 90,579.

The Pantanal experienced a 120% increase in fire records, with 14,498 outbreaks — the worst figure since 2020, when 22,116 fire points were detected.

From January to November, fire affected an area of 297,680 km² in Brazil — equivalent to the territory of Rio Grande do Sul (281,707 km²), according to data from the Fire Monitor by the MapBiomas platform. This figure represents a 90% increase compared to the same period in 2023, when 156,448 km² were burned.

The cumulative total for the first 11 months of 2024 is the highest since 2019, the beginning of the platform’s historical

data series, which uses a different methodology from Inpe’s.

The platform has not yet updated the data for December 2024. Considering the first 11 months of the year, most (57%) of the territory affected by fire was in the Amazon, according to MapBiomas. Of the 169,000 km² impacted in the region, 76,000 km² were forest areas — including floodplain forests — where fire does not occur naturally and the vegetation is sensitive to flames.

The second most affected biome from January to November was the Cerrado, with 96,000 km² burned — 85% of this in native vegetation areas. Following that were the Pantanal (19,000 km²), Atlantic Forest (10,000 km²), Caatinga (2,975 km²), and Pampa (33 km²).

(*) With information from Folhapress.

Wildfire in the Amazon

Chart of fire outbreaks in 2024

Credit: Marizilda Cruppe | Greenpeace

Rescued family

Family was kept in conditions akin to slavery; they were taken to receive daily payments of approximately R$ 50

From Cenarium Magazine*

MANACAPURU (AM) – The Civil Police of Amazonas (PC-AM), through the Interactive Police Station (DIP) of Manacapuru, 68 kilometres from Manaus, arrested Matheus Santos da Silva, 37, in the act of keeping a couple, aged 17 and 18, in conditions akin to slavery. The victims were at the location with their daughter, an 11-month-old baby.

According to Police Chief John Castilho, from the Department of Inland Police (DPI) in Manacapuru, investigations revealed that the couple was taken to the suspect's farm to work in exchange for a daily wage of approximately R$ 50. The young man would assist with manual labour on the farm, while the teenage girl would carry out domestic chores.

“Upon arriving there, they began working and, after a few days, the perpetrator failed to pay the wages that had been promised. When the victims confronted him, he started inventing debts. Any alleged mistake the couple made, he would fabricate a debt for them to repay,” he reported.

For instance, according to the chief, on one occasion the young man accidentally scratched the suspect’s motorbike, and the latter demanded a R$ 3,000 debt. The teenage girl broke a glass, and the suspect claimed a R$ 100 debt.

“The debt became unpayable, and the perpetrator stated that until it was settled, they would not be allowed to leave the property. The teenage girl managed to speak

to her mother, who immediately went to the police to report the case,” the chief said.

Still according to Castilho, the police promptly went to the scene, where they encountered completely unsanitary conditions and found the couple and their child in a state of extreme vulnerability. “We rescued this family, who are now receiving psychosocial support, and we arrested the perpetrator on the spot for the conditions he subjected the couple and their daughter to,” the chief emphasised.

Matheus Santos da Silva was arrested in the act for subjecting individuals to conditions analogous to slavery.

(*) With information from the Civil Police.

According to the police, the suspect did not pay the daily rates and fabricated debts to keep the family on the premises

Credit: Composition by Lucas Oliveira | Cenarium

Legacies for the Amazon

Pope Francis acted in defence of Indigenous peoples and the preservation of the Amazon

Jadson Lima and Izaías Godinho – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS (AM) – “The original Amazonian peoples have probably never been so threatened in their territories as they are now.” This statement was made by Pope Francis on 19 January 2018 during a meeting with Indigenous people from Brazil, Peru and Bolivia. The event was held in the city of Puerto Maldonado, Peru. The Pontiff, who died this Monday, the 21st, was the Catholic Church’s most active leader in defending Indigenous Peoples and the Amazon.

The meeting was attended by more than 30 Indigenous peoples, from whom the Pope heard reports of violations in their territories and highlighted the richness, knowledge and Indigenous diversity. On the occasion, he also stated that it was nec-

essary to listen to the traditional population living in the Amazon. “Let it now be you yourselves who self-define and show us your identity. We need to listen to you,” he declared.

At the event, the Pontiff warned about the rise of extractivism in the region and the strong pressure from major economic interests, pointing to “greed for oil, gas, timber, gold, agro-industrial monocultures.” The leader of the Catholic Church also mentioned the “perversion of certain policies that promote conservation of nature without taking the human being into account,” which generates “situations of oppression for Indigenous peoples.”

In October 2020, Pope Francis spoke about the forest fires recorded in the Ama-

zon during the Synod of the Amazon, a meeting of Catholic Church bishops held at the Vatican to discuss the forest. In a statement, the Pontiff said the region needed a “fire of love”, which does not destroy but “warms and gives life.”

“May God preserve us from the greed of new colonialism. The fire set by destructive interests, like the one that recently devastated the Amazon, is not of the Gospel. The fire of God is warmth that attracts and gathers in unity. It is fed by sharing, not by profit […] The devouring fire spreads when one seeks only to impose their own ideas,” he declared at the time.

In another statement, the Pope expressed concern about forest fires in the Amazon region, which he described as a “lung of

The Pontiff was the Catholic Church leader who most actively defended Indigenous Peoples and the Amazon

Credit: Matheus Moura | Cenarium Magazine

“Every time I met with him [Pope Francis], he would always ask: ‘And how is our Amazon doing?’. He always encouraged us, as a Church, to help in social transformation”

Dom Leonardo Steiner, Archbishop of Manaus.

forest”. On the occasion, he asked the faithful to pray for the region so that the fires could be controlled. “We are concerned about the fires that have developed in the Amazon,” he said.

Francis was the Pope most dedicated to environmental issues. In 2020, the apostolic exhortation “Beloved Amazon” was published, in which the Pontiff expressed his desire for the peoples of the region to fight for the “rights of the poorest, of native peoples, of the last ones, so that their voices may be heard and their dignity promoted.”

Respect for Indigenous Peoples

The Archbishop of Manaus, in Amazonas, Dom Leonardo Steiner, aged 74, stated that no other Pontiff had shown as much concern for the Amazon as Pope Francis. The declaration by the first Cardinal from the Amazon was made during a press conference held in the Amazonian capital following the announcement of the death of the leader of the Catholic Church in Rome.

According to the Archbishop of Manaus, the Pope had a keen eye for environmental issues and always respected Indigenous peoples. Furthermore, the Pontiff’s guidance was that the Church should be an instrument of social transformation.

“Pope Francis had such great affection for the Amazon, for the lungs of the Earth, and especially for Indigenous peoples. Every time I met with him, he would always ask: ‘And how is our Amazon doing?’. He always encouraged us, as a Church, to help in social transformation,” said Steiner.

When asked about the possibility of being called to take part in the Conclave — the time during which a new Pope is elected — Steiner stated that he does not believe he will become the new Pontiff, but that the Church will move forward and not backwards.

“I am likely to be called to vote, as I am an elector Cardinal, just like all Cardi-

nals under the age of eighty, and we will certainly receive the invitation to attend the burial ceremonies,” he said during the interview.

The death of Pope Francis was determined through electrocardiographic death recording. The death certificate states that Francis fell into a coma before passing away. His condition had worsened due to a bout of pneumonia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.

The Pope had been discharged from hospital at the end of March, after a 37-day stay, and was advised by doctors to rest for two months and have limited contact with others.

Pope Francis took part in a meeting with Indigenous people from Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia

Dom Leonardo Steiner, Archbishop of Manaus, said the Pope had a keen eye for environmental issues and always respected Indigenous peoples

Credit: Disclosure

Credit: Disclosure

Partnership increases the visibility of the Amazon

Director of Institutional Relations at Sommos Amazônia, Yeda Oliveira, explains how the partnership with CENARIUM NETWORK will unfold

Marcela Leiros – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS (AM) – Imagine a platform where it is possible to access cultural and regional productions from the Amazon, such as films, music, books, visual arts, food, and news. This is the proposal of Sommos Amazônia, launched in the first week of this month, which is dedicated to the digital distribution of these contents and the spread of information and knowledge about the region. Among the partners of this initiative is CENARIUM NETWORK

The services will be available on a single app, through one subscription priced at R$ 9.90 per month. The initial catalogue

features 300 films, 30,000 songs, 2,500 books, and over 750 artistic works, as well as a glossary of foods and ingredients with 330 entries. The platform will also feature an e-commerce section for physical products.

The Director of Institutional Relations at Sommos Amazônia, Yeda Oliveira, explains how the curation, organisation, and dissemination of the platform’s collection will be carried out, with CENARIUM’s contribution to making Sommos Amazônia the main reference for research, information, and knowledge about the region, through content focused on the local, national, and international scenarios.

Sommos is dedicated to the digital distribution of content and the spread of information and knowledge about the Amazon region

Credit: Lucas Oliveira | Cenarium Magazine

C: What will be the main areas of collaboration between CENARIUM and Sommos Amazônia in practice?

Y.O: Considering that Sommos Amazônia is a platform dedicated to the dissemination of information and knowledge about the region, and that it will serve as a qualified channel for the dissemination of CENARIUM NETWORK, we believe that the sum of these efforts will multiply the reach of CENARIUM's articles beyond regional and national borders. Additionally, it will offer a new possibility of relating journalistic content to cultural materials embedded on the platform, allowing the cross-referencing of information from all the different categories present. For us, who work with the dissemination of Amazonian cultural content, it is essential to present this panorama with constant updates of the region’s reality, which only journalism can provide. Furthermore, CENARIUM prioritises journalistic coverage in the nine states of

the Amazon and introduces a new concept of debate on issues related to sustainability, equity, and diversity, which aligns with Sommos Amazônia's objectives.

C: In a scenario where many communication initiatives about the Amazon come from outside the region, how will Sommos Amazônia handle the challenge of giving visibility to the Amazon without falling into a colonising or external approach to the local reality?

Y.O: Sommos Amazônia's collection is the result of a deep research, curation, and a constant and dynamic licensing process, involving an extensive network of local, national, and international partners, including independent artists and producers, small, medium, and large companies, cultural and socio-environmental institutions, media outlets, and news agencies, always aiming for the protagonism of the region's peoples.

C: How does Sommos Amazônia plan to ensure that the narrative is constructed from the perspective of those who are from the region?

Y.O: Our primary goal is to create a platform that reflects the immense diversity of the region's cultures and that its different members feel represented through the broad catalogue we are gathering. We are talking about different ethnic and social groups: urban, peripheral, indigenous, riverside dwellers, caboclos, and quilombolas. Everyone will find their favourite content and feel represented. Everyone will meet and recognise themselves on Sommos Amazônia.

C: What is the expected impact of the platform both for the audience in the Amazon and for those outside the region who want to learn more about its culture and challenges?

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira

| Cenarium Magazine

Y.O: We want to promote Amazonian culture in Brazil and around the world. Sommos Amazônia is based on the principle that culture is a fundamental pillar for sustainable development and income generation for the region's population, and that by enabling people to remain in their original territories, it contributes to tackling the climate emergency. There is a global demand for greater knowledge about the region, which, in the year of COP30, will only intensify. We hope to meet these expectations efficiently and inclusively. Sommos Amazônia positions itself as an ECG (Environment, Culture & Governance) initiative that recognises culture and the creative sectors as drivers for implementing fairer, more inclusive, and greener development models. Committed to collaborating on the creation and expansion of a sustainable economic model for the different productive chains of the Amazon's Creative Economy, Sommos

Amazônia aims to transform our cultural wealth into socio-economic wealth.

C: On which platforms will Sommos Amazônia be available?

Y.O: Initially, Sommos Amazônia will be available in desktop and responsive mobile versions. Next, we will launch the app for smart TVs, and from there, we may integrate the app into subscriptions from service providers in Brazil and globally.

C: Will the platform offer content in other languages? If so, which ones (apart from Portuguese)?

Y.O: Sommos Amazônia was designed to have global reach, and for that, it will initially be available in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. The inclusion of other languages is planned for the platform's evolution.

C: What are the next steps for the platform and what can we expect in

terms of new developments in the coming months?

Y.O: In addition to the ongoing expansion of the collection and the improvement of technologies for the protection, management, commercialisation, promotion, and remuneration of the respective contents and their copyrights, Sommos Amazônia will expand its activities into the B2B dimension, where, acting as an Integrator, it will publish part of its catalogue on other platforms in Brazil and around the world, exponentially multiplying the monetisation possibilities of these products. Expanding the catalogue of physical products available through our marketplace is a priority in our planning. There are also plans for in-person actions, training, and capacity-building for newcomers – new artists who, as we speak, are composing, writing, painting, filming, and who need a platform dedicated to the promotion and commercialisation of their work.

Five years of technical, ethical and responsible journalism

CENARIUM NETWORK celebrates five years with the expansion of Amazon journalism

Ana Pastana – From Cenarium Magazine

MMANAUS (AM) – CENARIUM celebrates five years of history on this 15th of April and celebrates the expansion of its content reach with the commitment to produce technical journalism and provide the public with information about what is happening in the Legal Amazon, with indigenous peoples, on diversity, local, national, and international politics, economy, environment, and the visibility of territories.

CENARIUM is present online through social media, the website: revistacenarium. com.br, and the agency: agenciacenarium. com.br, in both Portuguese and English versions, the printed magazine, the Web TV, and the YouTube channel — platforms where more than 30 collaborators work daily across Brazil and the world. Among

the professionals, CENARIUM has lawyers, journalists, social media experts, text editors, video editors, cameramen, photojournalists, and a marketing team.

Headquartered in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas, CENARIUM, in five years, has established a network of communicators

in Pará, Acre, Roraima, Rondônia, Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, the Federal District, and expanded its reach to the capital of the United Kingdom, London.

In addition to its online presence, the printed version of CENARIUM MAGAZINE is now in its 57th edition, with a circulation

Partnerships for content dissemination

SOMMOS AMAZÔNIA

On a platform that distributes content about the Amazon and provides access to regional cultural production — such as films, music, books, visual arts, food, and news — is Sommos Amazônia, launched in the first week of April, dedicated to the diffusion of information and knowledge about the region. Among the partners of this initiative is CENARIUM

The services will be available in a single app, with a subscription fee of R$ 9.90 per month. The initial catalogue includes 300 films, 30,000 songs, 2,500 books, and over

750 works of art, as well as a glossary of foods and ingredients, with 330 entries. The platform will also feature an e-commerce section for physical products.

GRACCO VIAGENS E TURISMO

Another partnership established is with Gracco Viagens e Turismo, aimed at producing online content about tourism in the Amazon region, initially in the capitals Manaus (AM) and Belém (PA), through a bi-weekly podcast, to be released in the second half of this year, fulfilling the purpose of establishing connections with Brazil and the world.

CENARIUM has a team of over 30 professionals spread across the globe

Credit: Composition by Lucas Oliveira Cenarium

of approximately 5,000 copies distributed to subscribers and partners across Brazil every 30 days, offering exclusive content with original texts and images, produced by the company’s team of journalists and communicators.

TV CENARIUM, part of the CENARIUM NETWORK, is available on YouTube and stands out for its continuous production of exclusive reports, interviews, mini-documentaries, and documentaries. Between 2020 and 2025, the platform maintains an average of 18 hours of content published

On social media, CENARIUM reached over 11 million people on Facebook between 2020 and 2025. On Instagram, in three years, the reach was 13 million.

On X (formerly Twitter), between 2024 and 2025, it recorded a reach of over 2 million. On TikTok, between 2023 and 2025, the reach was over 4 million.

Cenarium Present

In addition to collaborators in the capital of Amazonas, CENARIUM has professionals in the states of Pará, with journalist Fabyo Cruz; in Brasília, with journalist Ana Claudia Leocádio; and in London, with journalist Monica Piccinini.

For the editorial coordinator, Adrisa de Góes, being part of CENARIUM is a daily learning experience. “Every day we learn something new, this is the advantage of having direct contact with experts, of doing work based on the words of people who experience and fight for a cause, or a specialty. This is CENARIUM’s differential,” she said.

CENARIUM’s General Director, Paula Litaiff, states that the magazine was created with the purpose of leaving a legacy about the importance of ethics, respect for the forest, and professionalism in the practice of journalism. She reaffirms the commitment to producing technical journalism, with thorough investigation. “I often say that it [CENARIUM] is ours. It belongs to those who make the Amazon, to those who collaborate with journalists every day, to the teachers, to the quilombola peoples, to the indigenous peoples. That’s the goal, to amplify the voice of those who need to be heard,” she declared.

“CENARIUM is ours. It belongs to those who make the Amazon, to those who collaborate with journalists every day, to the teachers, to the quilombola peoples, to the indigenous peoples. That’s the goal, to amplify the voice of those who need to be heard”

Paula Litaiff, general director of CENARIUM.

RECOGNITION AND AWARDS

Through responsible journalism, CENARIUM NETWORK has earned several awards, such as:

► 11th Anamatra National Human Rights Award 2024, with a series of reports on complaints related to slave-like labor conditions in charcoal production facilities in the State of Roraima.

► 1st place in the Ampla Journalism Award, in the state category, promoted by Ampla, a nonpartisan organization representing Amazonian leaders, with the report “Narcogarimpo: entenda como facções praticam crimes ambientais em áreas de garimpo no Pará,” written by the press outlet's reporter in Pará, Fabyo Cruz.

► 9th Sebrae Journalism Award, in the Photo category, with the image “Manejar é Preciso,” by photojournalist Ricardo Oliveira.

► 3rd place in the “Video Journalism” category, in the 11th state edition of the Sebrae Journalism Award, with the report “Empreendedorismo Ancestral Impulsiona Renda de Mulheres Indígenas em Manaus.”

► Winner of the “Photojournalism” category, in the Superior Labor Court (TST) section, of the 1st National Judiciary Journalism Award, with the production “Reféns do carvão: exploração de trabalhadores em carvoarias na Amazônia.”

► 1st State Águas de Manaus Environmental Journalism Award, with photojournalist Ricardo Oliveira, for the photo report “Desafio entre preservação e desenvolvimento econômico no Rio Tarumã-Açu em Manaus.”

► Finalist of the 44th Vladimir Herzog National Amnesty and Human Rights Award 2022 in the photography category.

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira | Cenarium Magazine

Indigenous Peoples’ Day: rights, resistance and justice

In reference to the date, Indigenous leaders discuss exclusion and barriers to accessing justice

Carol Veras – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS (AM) – Indigenous peoples and social inclusion were key topics in an event held to mark Indigenous Peoples’ Day, hosted at Paulista University (Unip), in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas. Important figures for Indigenous representation led the debate, entitled “Indigenous Peoples: Rights, Resistance and the Construction of a Just and Inclusive Society”.

Participating in the discussion were the first Indigenous lawyer from the Kanamari people, Inory Kanamari, and the journalist and general director of CENARIUM NETWORK, Paula Litaiff. Joining remotely were Bárbara Nascimento, leader and activist of the Botocudos do Uaiumi people, and Indigenous affairs columnist Roger Chambi.

During the event, participants addressed the challenges faced by Indigenous communities in both the formulation and access to public policies. Inory Kanamari highlighted the absence of Indigenous perspectives in institutional planning and the inequality in access to justice. “Public policies were created by white, wealthy and classist people. Healthcare, education and other basic rights do not reach Indigenous peoples,” she stated.

The lawyer also reported structural obstacles faced by Indigenous people in legal proceedings, especially in remote areas. “Legal services are not planned for us. Judges don’t consider that an Indigenous person might need R$ 3,000 or 200 litres of petrol to get around. It’s difficult to meet deadlines under these conditions. Sometimes, even online hearings are not

feasible, as solar panels don’t work well during the rainy season,” she said.

Aiming to broaden Indigenous peoples’ access to the judiciary, the National Council of Justice (CNJ) issued Resolutions No. 453 and No. 454, both in 2022. The first established the National Forum of the Judiciary for Monitoring and Effectiveness of Demands Related to Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (Fonit). The second outlines guidelines to ensure Indigenous peoples’ right to justice, aligning with principles of International Human Rights Law.

Among the key points of Resolution No. 454 is the requirement that the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai) be notified in actions involving Indigenous communities. The text also mandates that courts ensure, for instance, the ethnic

Indigenous lawyer Inory Kanamari and Botocudos do Uaiumi leader and activist, Bárbara Nascimento, took part in the event

Credit: Composition by Belle Pena | Cenarium Magazine

Chronicles of the Everyday: The fury that comes from Harvard

Walmir de Albuquerque Barbosa

Harvard University, located in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, founded in 1632 when the country was still a British colony, is considered one of the most prestigious in the world; an example of a private non-profit institution responsible for the most important research results and technological innovation. It is also recognised for its more than 150 Nobel Prizes listed in its portfolio of honours. It is not the oldest in the Americas, but it has become its reference point, hence the respect and even veneration that everyone has for the institution, both inside and outside the country. The most notable minds of the modern world have passed through it, whether as lecturers or as students, among them nine former Presidents of the United States. The only person who insists on disregarding these attributes and has no respect for the institution is the current President of the Republic, who has decided in an imperial, undemocratic, and unconstitutional manner to interfere directly in the autonomy of universities, whether public or private, imposing academic restrictions, invading their campuses, illegally arresting and deporting their foreign students, and dictating modes of conduct and procedures in the academic and pedagogical organisation of institutions. Something that not even the most eager dictators have dared to do around the world. President Donald Trump simply did not expect the response from this centuries-old institution to his “imperial order”, in a letter signed by its leaders: “It is regrettable, therefore, that your letter disregards Harvard's efforts,

instead presenting demands that, contrary to the First Amendment, infringe upon university freedoms widely recognised by the Supreme Court. The government's terms also circumvent Harvard's statutory rights by requiring unproven and disruptive remedies for alleged harms that the government has not substantiated through mandatory processes established by Congress and required by law... Thus, Harvard will not accept the government's terms as a preliminary agreement.” A response that will certainly encourage other universities to vehemently respond to the advances of this strange figure who wishes to subject everything to his whims.

The situation is not favourable for universities. Until very recently, they were seen as spaces for free thought, competence to dare and unveil new horizons in understanding human behaviour, discussing universal social issues, and developing all potentialities directed towards good. The autonomy guaranteed to them in all democratic countries, in the name of the medieval tradition that resulted in their creation protected by walls, exists precisely to defend themselves from intruders always ready to question their freedoms in the name of authoritarian, religious, political, or moral principles. It is inadmissible to desire a utilitarian and conservative university if it was born, precisely, to always be ahead of its time, to be a beacon of innovation and contestation of the status quo. This does not eliminate the responsibility that a free university has towards the society that maintains and recognises it: it closes

itself off to think, reflect, produce criticism, propose paths and possible solutions, and instil in those who pass through it its Alma Mater, then opening itself to society to generously deliver the knowledge it has produced. Few understand this.

In the Brazilian case, political and economic forces view the university as an object of their desires, and now, this obtuse farright seeks to transform it into a madrasa, as evidenced by what was done in the previous government, when the Ministry of Education was handed over to delinquents and market forces, leaving behind traces of interference in universities via the National Education Council, control of CAPES and CNPq, and undue interferences from professional corporations such as councils, orders, and other associations on matters that do not concern them and interfere in the training of those who will think about the future.

Recently (on the 10th and 12th of March), the University of Brasília (UnB) was assaulted by a neo-fascist group of students who promised “cleansing actions” and eradication of “communism” in the institution. Episodes of this nature are multiplying within public universities with the support of external institutions.

Remember: “The university is our greatest heritage”!

(*) Professional journalist, graduated from the University of Amazonas; Doctor in Communication Sciences from the University of São Paulo; Emeritus Professor at the Federal University of Amazonas.