Why is Brazil Doubling its Military Protection in the Amazon Rainforest?
Brazil’s government has announced plans to increase their soldiers in the Amazon Rainforest from 17,000 to 30,000 over the next 9 years, as well as build new forts and improve others. Why have they chosen to invest $488.6 million in this plan?
- » See also: Throwing Out Food and Paper Will Be Illegal
- » Get EcoWorldly by RSS or sign up by email.
The answer is more muddled than I would have guessed. But what can you expect given Brazil’s recent my-way-or-the-highway conservation tactics, their boldness in announcing an unrealistically ambitious anti-deforestation campaign, and a giant oil discovery that further added to the wealth of a country that is now buying more ethanol than gas?
As part of the “Protecting Amazon” project, the military buildup will supposedly aid in the further protection of tribal reservations and the Brazilian border. Brazil shares an extensive border in the rainforest with 8 other countries, and has recently been involved in a dispute with Peru over uprooted Indian tribes. Brazilian authorities and several NGOs devoted to advocacy efforts for tribal peoples claim that deforestation in Peru’s forests is displacing tribal peoples rapidly into Brazil. But this dispute in fact, seems to have little to do with the plan for military buildup.
When I first read about Brazil’s plan, I thought they were pursuing it for conservation reasons, much in the way that Peru’s Environmental Minister has proposed a 3,000 person Environment Police to patrol the Amazon Rainforest and protect its biodiversity. It turns out that its more so about modernizing their military, for what I think are pretty lame reasons.
As mentioned earlier, last year Brazil discovered a huge oil deposit offshore. They promptly scheduled military war games as a show that they were willing to protect the oil. From who I ask? George Bush? In addition to modernizing their ground forces via this new Amazon protection plan, Brazil also wants to build nuclear submarines with the help of France, to help defend their coastline (from who I ask?–once again).
I also am not sure if building 28 new forts will do much good in Brazil’s section of the Amazon Rainforest, but I’m hoping I’m wrong. Perhaps it will help lead to greater protection of the amazing biodiversity and cultures found within the forest’s boundaries.
Photo Credit: openDemocracy on Flickr under a Creative Commons license
Dear’s friends,
As you probably know, the US government had reborn the US Fourth Fleet of the US Navy, maybe to defend their nation. “From who I ask?”
Well, As you should know the Fourth Fleet will act on Latin America, under the current command of RADM Joseph D. Kernan, who had commanded Platoons at Seal Team, an advanced group that have made clandestine operations over the years. The Team has also knowledge in forests incursions.
Now you could answer the question: “From who I ask?”
I do agree Brazil should have nukes by now. It is the world’s 10th largest economy, it is the 5th biggest country in size and in population, so why the hell not? And it is a stable and reliable, a serious democracy that is growing rapidly. They share a close view with its western partners, and their culture have been americanized. So I ask, why can’t they do the same that any G8 country would have done by now? I do think there is a certain “who would bother invading brazil” they should be worried about.
The crazy U.S. wants to import Brazilian alcohol when the U.S. could make its own alcohol if it would take the proper cues from Brazil. In recent years, many race cars use alcohol. If you Google kudzu NASCAR, you can find an interesting article on how a weed in the south could produce much alcohol. I found the article amusing, even though I don’t like car-racing. In the past, much Brazilian sugar cane was grown responsibly, with unionized workers, with swales to catch water so little outside or underground water was needed, and with the same roots used for many years. Now that international corporations want Brazilian alcohol, they have created havoc. Those U.S. people who want the U.S. to behave in a way that will engender international and domestic respect are horrified by what these corporations are doing in Brazil. U.S. incarceration rates are largely known around the world. Our government incarcerates U.S. people at a higher rate than other countries, and corporate punishment still happens here. Only China kills more of her own people than the U.S. The U.S. is no longer rated very well on a wikipedia freedom-measurement scale. Dick Cheney famously owns stock in private-prison companies. I think he should experience prison in a different way from just collecting dividends. I hope visitors to this site from other countries will understand that U.S. people suffer from bad actors here, and many of us do not condone the bad behaviors. We hope Obama will make some positive changes, but the picture on agriculture is dismal. We are now used to promises that do not get kept.
what difference does this make? they aren’t being an aggressor they are simply putting themselves in position to protect themselves. pacifism is all nice and dandy but as Albert Einstein found out with his adamant support of pacifism it can become a scary world out there quickly and your country may have to defend itself.
James, I think you mean Venezuela.
Anyway, I’m glad Brazil is getting tough on environmental protection. Nature is a priceless resource that we all must do our part to protect.
@James get your countries straight. Chavez is from Venezuela.
That is interesting, I think they should protect their lands if it is needed, why should we even question it?
Not everything is an evil plot stop being so paranoid
[...] mentioned in the video were Brazil’s plans to increase its military to protect the Amazon and shore up its oil [...]
.. to be continued.
There is a lot of odd stories coming out of this region lately.
THE BRAZIL FOR THE BRAZILIAN’S…