Government extends National Force operations in Amazon for 90 days

The Ministry of Justice and Public Security has authorized members of the National Force to continue working in three ongoing operations in the Legal Amazon—a region that includes nine states in the North (Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, and, Tocantins), the Central-West (Mato Grosso), and the Northeast (Maranhão).

Three ministerial orders were published Thursday (Dec. 28). The first extends by 90 days the work of the troops in support of environmental authority Ibama in the fight against deforestation, illegal fires, and other environmental crimes in the Amazon. The new deadline comes into effect on January 1. It runs until March 30, 2024, and may be extended.

The deployment of the National Force in support of biodiversity conservation institute ICMBio, linked to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, has also been extended. This operation will focus on combating the illegal extraction of minerals and timber and the invasion of federal public areas, as well as fighting arson. The 90-day extension runs until March 31 and can also be extended.

Another order extends the stay of agents along the Negro and Solimões rivers in Amazonas state, where the National Force has been assisting state security agencies since January 2021 in efforts to combat organized crime, drug trafficking, and environmental crimes as part of Operation Arpão 1.

The name of the operation is an allusion to the Arpão Base, a river security base mounted on a boat, inaugurated in August 2020, currently moored on the Solimões river, supporting police activities in the region. The reinforcement of the National Force to the state initiative aims to guarantee “activities and services essential to the preservation of public order and the safety of people and property” from January 4 to April 1, 2024.