Brazil's Indigenous voters struggle to reach polling stations

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 22 Oct, 21:02 · Archive

Brazilian prosecutors and Indigenous advocates are suing to guarantee transportation for Indigenous voters in remote Amazon communities ahead of Sunday's presidential runoff.

Brazilian prosecutors and Indigenous organisations are suing to force electoral authorities to help voters in remote Amazon communities vote in Sunday's presidential runoff between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, a son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The two candidates have markedly different approaches to protecting the Amazon, and recent polls show the race is tight.

Federal prosecutors filed a lawsuit Wednesday in federal court seeking a nationwide order to ensure Indigenous peoples can vote, by providing free transportation by river, land or air. The suit also seeks funding for food, interpreters, cultural facilitators and signs in Indigenous languages at polling places. The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil announced Thursday that it filed an urgent request asking the Justice Inspector General's Office to ensure electoral officials act quickly to help Indigenous people reach voting centres.

The prosecutors' suit cites allegations that municipal governments denied transportation for political reasons and ranchers prevented Indigenous workers from leaving farms to vote. The most serious problem involves 43 Indigenous communities deep in the jungle in northern Brazil. On Tuesday, the Amazonas state electoral court rejected a petition for transportation assistance filed by Univaja, an association representing Indigenous peoples of the Javari Valley.

How it is being reported

• Brazil's Indigenous voters deep in Amazon struggle to cast ballotsBrazilian prosecutors and Indigenous organizations are pushing for transportation guarantees for Indigenous voters in Sunday's election.Clickorlando · 22 Oct, 20:23
• Brazil's Indigenous voters deep in Amazon struggle to cast ballotsBrazilian prosecutors and Indigenous organizations are pushing for transportation guarantees for Indigenous voters in Sunday's election.News4Jax · 22 Oct, 20:23

In this story: Brazil · Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva · Flávio Bolsonaro · Jair Bolsonaro · Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil · Amazon · Javari Valley

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem