Brazil. Jair Bolsonaro wants to promote gold panning in the Amazon

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro signed this Monday, February 14, 2022 a decree aimed at developing gold panning, particularly in the Amazon, a text criticized by environmentalists, worried about deforestation and river pollution.

This decree provides for the “implementation of public policies to encourage the development of artisanal and small-scale mining activities, with a view to sustainable development”.

Bolsonaro has a gold digger father

The “priority region” for the development of these activities is the“Legal Amazon”, a set of nine states in the north of the country that host the Amazon rainforest, 60% of which is in Brazilian territory.

Jair Bolsonaro, whose father was once a gold digger, has always defended the “garimpeiros” (Brazilian term which designates them), whom he sees as intrepid adventurers trying to get out of poverty.

Environmental damage

But its detractors denounce serious consequences for the environment. Mining activities caused the destruction of 125 km2 of Amazonian forest last year, an area larger than that of intramural Paris.

The use of mercury to separate gold particles from other sediments is also a source of river pollution. Not to mention the fact that gold panning often takes place in territories supposed to be reserved for the natives.

Conflicts and crimes on the margins of gold panning

According to the Brazilian public prosecutor’s office many « prospectors » have links with organized crime and conflicts sometimes break out between the natives and the goons paid by the illegal miners.

Gold panning itself is not illegal in Brazil, provided you have environmental licenses and practice this activity on land where it is allowed. But most of « prospectors » do not have such licenses.

4,000 illegal miners in the Amazon

The government estimates that some 4,000 illegal miners operate in indigenous territories in the Amazon, a figure that environmentalists say is grossly understated.

According to Suely Araujo, former president of the environmental agency Ibama and member of the NGO collective Observatoire du Climat, the government “should ensure that this activity is better regulated, with environmental licenses”.

“But that’s not their main concern. They want to defend the ‘historic values ​​of the sector’ (of gold panning), in other words, the destruction of the environment”she adds.

Jair Bolsonaro wants to develop mining activities in the Amazon rainforest

President Bolsonaro, who has always called for the expansion of mining and agricultural activities in the Amazon, has been widely criticized by the international community for the increase in deforestation since he came to power three years ago. year.

Deforestation in the world’s largest rainforest has reached 13,235 km2 over the reference period from August 2020 to July 2021, unheard of in 15 years.

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