Brazil Court Denies Transport for 43 Indigenous Communities

Indigenous communities in Brazil’s remote Javari Valley risk being unable to vote in the presidential runoff because some polling places are days away by boat, and the Amazonas electoral court rejected Univaja’s request for transportation, water and food. The court said the request came too late for election logistics and that it lacked funds, while Univaja said coordination that helped Indigenous voters reach the polls in previous elections did not happen this year and estimated first-round abstention at 30% to 35% in the affected communities. Some voters live as far as 895 kilometers from polling places, with journeys taking three to five days. Separately, federal prosecutors sued for a nationwide order requiring free transportation and other support, and Indigenous advocates asked election authorities to act urgently. The legal actions cite reports of transportation being withheld for political reasons and Indigenous workers being prevented from leaving farms to vote.