After protesting in front of the main entrance of the complex hosting COP30 this morning, COP30 President André Correa do Lago, and Ministers Marina Silva (Environment) and Sonia Guajajara (Indigenous Peoples) met with representatives of the Munduruku ethnic group. Correa do Lago considered the dialogue “constructive” and Marina said the demonstration was “legitimate.” The authorities listened to the indigenous people and clarified the status of the projects targeted by the protests.
– They have come a long way to be heard. So we brought them here for a dialogue. It was a very constructive and positive dialogue. “They have very strong and legitimate concerns and they have sent us two documents that we have formally received and we will try to move forward with all their concerns,” the COP30 president said.
Correa do Lago stated that he sought to make clear that COP30 “is an exercise on behalf of indigenous peoples, promotes consultations with indigenous peoples, and is therefore a conference that must be supported.”
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The peaceful protest was held in the morning and involved 90 indigenous people from the Munduruku ethnic group. The indigenous people claim that the federal government is developing infrastructure projects that threaten the territory of the Munduruku and other peoples in the Tapajos and Xingu river basins.
What are the demands of indigenous people?
They are demanding the repeal of Decree 12600/2025, which defines the National Waterways Plan and selects the Tapajós, Madeira and Tocantins rivers as priority hubs for cargo navigation. They also want more flexibility in demarcating indigenous lands and expressed opposition to carbon credit projects and REDD mechanisms discussed at the conference.
Minister Marina said that the group requested clarifications regarding the border demarcation processes in the Munduruku regions: Saur Maipa and Saur Papine.
According to her, the demarcation of the Saori-Maipa region was already signed by the Minister of Justice, Ricardo Lewandowski, last year and is now with Funai, which is already appointing a company to carry out the physical demarcation process.
Protests in the first week of COP30
Starting Monday (10), the first days of the 30th annual meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Belém were marked by protests
Regarding the Sauri Babin region, Marina said that the demarcation is in the land package for which there will be an explanatory decree, so that operations can move forward.
— This statement from the Munduruku people is legitimate (…) We will continue to ensure that these processes move forward by the end of this year,” Marina said.
Marina also updated the status of the Munduruku indigenous lands clearance operation. This process, she said, began in 2004 and included 19 ministries. 53 camps were destroyed and fines of R$300 million were imposed on the invaders. 39 excavators and 60 dredgers were also destroyed.
But Marina said that when the de-infiltration operation was carried out, there was very intense propaganda that the operation had reached the National Security Forces, which ultimately led to “some criminals getting away.” According to the minister, Obama will return to the site.
Regarding concerns about the Ferrogrão project – which aims to connect Sinope (MT) to Meritituba (PA), expanding the flow of grain via Tapajós – the Minister explained that there is no license application within the state of Ibama for the railway.
– This is a judicial process. When the EIA-RIMA was submitted (to Ibama), it was very bad. But their concern persists and is a legitimate concern – Marina stressed to reporters.
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