Indigenous protesters protest and occupy Cargill port terminal in Santarém

Indigenous protesters occupied the Cargill port terminal in Santarém (PA) and interrupted operations there, the North American grain trading company said in a statement released this Saturday (21).

Protesters forced Cargill employees to leave the private terminal on Friday night, the company said, adding that it is in contact with local authorities so that the removal can be carried out “in an orderly and safe manner.”

Cargill shipped more than 5.5 million metric tons of soybeans and corn through Santarém last year, according to port sector data. The exported volume, coming mainly from the Central-West region, represented more than 70% of the total volume of grains moved in Santarém.

Cargill said there is “strong evidence of vandalism and depredation of assets” at the terminal.

River dredging

The occupation marks an escalation between protesters and the company over proposed plans to dredge local rivers, such as the Tapajós, through which grains such as soybeans and corn pass before reaching export markets.

Cargill said it has no control over river dredging plans.

Protesters have been blocking truck access to the terminal since Jan. 22, with limited impact on Cargill’s operations as most grain arrives by barge before being transported to ships for export.

In a letter after the occupation, protesters demanded that the Brazilian government reconsider a decree that they said would open Amazon rivers to dredging.

“Rivers are not export channels: they are a source of life, sustenance, memory and identity for thousands of families,” the letter said, adding that dredging would affect water quality and the fisheries they depend on to survive.

The Brazilian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Previously, it stated that dredging is a routine measure to ensure river traffic during periods of low water levels.