Miners begin to disperse before police action in Madeira River

The delay of federal authorities in reacting to the movement of miners’ rafts on the Madeira River, in the Amazon, resulted in the dispersal of a large part of the hundreds of clandestine vessels that were stopped for about a week in the region of Autazes (AM). As revealed by Estadão, the group is concentrated in the region where a large amount of gold would have been found.

Information obtained by the Estadão indicates that most of the ferries have already left the place. Exchanges of messages between the miners indicate that part of them is already going up the Madeira River, towards Humaitá, on the border between Amazonas and Rondônia. The region is known for the agglomeration of these vessels. Many miners left Autazes and are already close to the municipality of Nova Olinda do Norte (AM).

As of Tuesday (23), a report by Estadão had already brought details about the agglomeration of hundreds of ferries, all of them operating in an irregular situation, in the extraction of gold from the Madeira River. On Wednesday, the miners were already exchanging messages among themselves, regarding reactions in case there was any kind of reprimanding action on the part of Organs police and reprimanding bodies.

In audio messages released, the miners talked about the possibility of setting up a “wall” of rafts to hold back the police action, they even talked about ambushes in the forest and “shooting bullets” at the agents.

The Ministry of Justice mobilized the Federal Police, in addition to the Armed Forces and Ibama agents to carry out an action in the region. So far, however, nothing has actually happened. Informed about the mobilization, the miners were also evaluating the alternative of leaving the site.

As their equipment is irregular, they know that there is no other option in cases of police approach: everything has to be apprehended or destroyed on the spot.

Federal authorities did not give details about their plans in the region, but what was articulated was being called internally, by members of the government, as a “war operation”, blocking passages along the Madeira River and roads leading to the region where were the boats.

Agents heard by the report believe that the situation can, in a way, facilitate the police approach, because it avoids conflicts with great agglomeration. Also, the rafts move slowly.