The federal government and the Armed Forces have announced the mobilization of a search for the indigenist Bruno Pereira and the English journalist Dom Phillips, who have been missing since Sunday (5). But organizations following the case - among them the one that had the civil servant licensed from Funai (Fundação Nacional do Índio) as its collaborator – pointed out this Tuesday (7) that this is not enough. The groups point out the omission of the authorities and the lack of a task force dedicated to the operation.
President Jair Bolsonaro played down the case and called their trip to the west of the state of Amazonas an "adventure." Phillips was doing journalistic work with the support of Pereira.
"Two people on a boat in a completely wild region is an adventure that is not recommended to do. Anything can happen. It could be an accident; it could be that they were executed."
According to information released by the Navy, Federal Police, Civil Police, Government of Amazonas, and Itamaraty, rescue operations include helicopters, boats, divers, and special battalions.
The two disappeared while traveling from the community of São Rafael to the city of Atalaia do Norte, in the Vale do Javari region. The journey was supposed to take about two hours, but they did not return to the city.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon