Amazon indigenous communities support Lula amid climate threats

Indigenous communities in the Amazon, specifically the Kambeba people of the Três Unidos community, have expressed strong support for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Local leaders, including Waldemir da Silva, cite environmental protection as the primary driver for their political preference, contrasting Lula’s policies with those of the Bolsonaro family.

The community, located along the Rio Negro, has faced severe health risks due to smoke from recent forest fires and poor air quality. There is growing concern that the El Niño phenomenon will exacerbate these conditions by intensifying droughts and increasing the frequency of wildfires.

Supporters highlight Lula’s creation of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples and the resumption of land demarcation as key actions. In contrast, they view the policies of the previous administration and the current proposals from opponents like Flávio Bolsonaro as threats to their ancestral territories and the stability of the Amazon biome.