Fabio de Castro, CEDLA & ARTES-UvA

Last year, the Amazon was on the world news about the devastating fire, rampant deforestation rate, and increased violence to indigenous populations. The national government responded the international pressure with denial of the socioenvironmental impacts, persecution of researchers, and disdain to the local populations. One year later, the Covid-19 pandemics adds to this dreadful reality. The lecture will address how old and new threats intersect in the Brazilian Amazon and how the different actors articulate new strategies to achieve (contrasting) goals. While the national state uses the pandemics as an opportunity to further their anti-environmental agenda, the virtualization of life, and claims about connections between pandemics and deforestation create opportunities for articulation of new narratives and campaigns by Indigenous and peasant groups. Drawing from few examples, I will discuss the implications of the reconfiguration of practices, policies, and alliances for the post-pandemic Amazon.