Indigenous Voters in Brazil's Amazon Fear Missing Runoff After Court Denies Transportation
The court said it could not arrange transport in time, leaving remote Indigenous communities in the Javari Valley at risk of missing the runoff.
- On Tuesday, the Amazonas electoral court rejected a petition from Univaja, an Indigenous rights organization, seeking transportation assistance for voters in the remote Javari Valley ahead of Sunday's runoff election.
- Voting access has long challenged the region, with some voters living 895 kilometers from polling places; a 2012 effort to distribute gasoline left about 1,200 Indigenous people stranded, causing a rotavirus outbreak that killed five Kanamari.
- The court stated it could not accommodate the request on short notice, citing vast distances and low river levels requiring slower boats; only military aircraft can currently overcome these 'access barriers' to transport voting machines.
- Univaja leaders remain concerned the decision will prevent participation following high abstention rates in the first round, while the Amazonas Public Defender has also petitioned authorities regarding difficulties reaching polling places.
- While the Constitution guarantees the right to vote, Indigenous communities fear lack of transportation will prevent participation in Sunday's runoff between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Indigenous voting during the election. Isabella Fernandez/RBS TV The Regional Electoral Court of the Amazon (TRE-AM) denied a request for logistical support to transport voters from 44 indigenous villages in the Javari Valley, within the Amazon, to polling sites in the 2nd round of the elections 2026. The request, made by the Union of Indigenous Peoples of the Javari Valley (Univaja), included river transport, drinking water and food. The decisi…
Associated Press News
Indigenous voters in Brazil's Amazon fear missing runoff after court denies transportation
Indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon fear they won't be able to vote in Sunday’s election runoff due to transportation issues.
Judge points out request out of the deadline and claims lack of resources to cost the displacement and feeding of voters in the Valley of Javari
Judge states that legal steps have not been completed in time
Request was made by entity representing the indigenous peoples of the Javari Valley, after abstention of more than 30% in the 1st round of elections
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