Attacks on indigenous leaders and nationalist discourse mark opposition to the Amazon Summit

By: FGV ECMI

 

 

• The event guides the debate on digital platforms, enhancing environmental denialism, attacks, and delegitimization of indigenous leaders and foreign NGOs, under the argument of protection of national interests;

• Ministers and political leaders allied with Lula's administration have a positive impact on the event and highlight benefits for Brazil, while the opposition criticizes foreign NGOs and associates Lula with Maduro;

• The Amazon Summit also mobilizes local outlets from Pará and Amazonas, which have a positive impact on the event.
  
   

 

The Amazon Summit was the central theme of the most prominent publications in the environmental debate since the beginning of August. Treated with great expectations by government profiles, the event led to new comparisons on the conduct of the environmental portfolio in Lula and Bolsonaro's administrations and was mobilized by the opposition to criticize the work of foreign NGOs and the current president's relationship with Nicolás Maduro. This is what the survey by FGV School of Communication, Media, and Information (FGV ECMI) shows, which analyzed publications on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and Telegram.

The debate around the Summit was more substantial on X and Instagram, networks where the dispute between political camps was stronger, and had less centrality on Facebook and Telegram. In general, the enthusiastic perspective spread by government profiles regarding the advances that can be provided by the event prevailed, although there were attacks on indigenous people, publications linked to environmental denialism and criticism of NGOs that work in the Amazon.

 

 

General debate

Evolution of the environmental debate on X (formerly Twitter)

Period: from August 01 to August 08 

Source: X | Elaboration: FGV ECMI

 

 

• The Amazon Summit guided a considerable part of the publications on the different topics that make up the environmental debate, especially regarding the Amazon and deforestation. A significant part of the discussion tended to be polarized between Lula's supporters and the opposition, which gained relevant visibility with hyper-partisan media outlets. For example, the increase of fires in the Amazon was attributed to Lula and the argument reiterated was that the biome would be the target of international greed, with mention of the NGOs' CPI. This idea was also echoed in the discussion on indigenous peoples, since opposition federal deputy Sílvia Waiãpi (Pl-AP), who is indigenous, stated that foreign NGOs would be putting Brazil's sovereignty in check;
• In the discussion on agribusiness, divergent opinions about dealing the MST's CPI illustrate the polarization of the debate: while parliamentarians point out that the opposition would not have been able to present evidence to criminalize the social movement, the opposition suggested that the MST would be involved in crimes of corruption;
• Army operations against illegal mining in the Amazon were also highlighted in the period, in addition to the arrest of a farmer associated with mining and land-grabbing practices who threatened to assassinate President Lula. There was also a repercussion of an alert by indigenous Yanomami about the return of miners and the increase in cases of malaria in Amazonian territories.
  
   

 

Main terms about the environmental debate on X (formerly Twitter)

Period: from August 01 to August 09, at 10 am

Source: X | Elaboration: FGV ECMI

 

• The centrality of the Amazon Summit in the environmental debate on X becomes explicit when we observe the most frequent terms of this discussion. The debate was guided, primarily, by government actors, such as Lula, Janja and Geraldo Alckmin, who emphasize the importance of the event for Brazil and the world. The opposition approached the Summit with emphasis on the possible coming of Nicolás Maduro to Brazil, with insinuations that Lula would be getting closer to communist regimes; 
• Among the less spotlighted themes, there is also a predominance of progressive profiles, which positively addressed Lula's visit to the Tapajós River, demarcating opposition to illegal mining and pointing to the alleged relationship of former President Bolsonaro with environmental crimes. The opposition, on the other hand, anchored itself on profiles of parliamentarians and influencers to question the legitimacy of indigenous leaders, such as the so-called Bira Sompré, and claim that Lula wants to hand over the Amazon to foreign countries, such as the United States and Norway.

 

Main links about the environmental debate on Facebook

Period: from August 01 to August 09, at 10 am

Source: X | Elaboration: FGV ECMI

 

 

• Among the spotlighted links on Facebook, there is a prevalence of references to the Amazon Summit, but also to Federal Police operations against land invasions and illegal mining. In addition to the content of the news pointing to the relevance of acts of preservation of the biome and indigenous lands, we did not map links with a denialist content among those with the highest volume of interactions;
• When observing the actors responsible for the circulation of these links, more traditional outlets stand out, such as Band Jornalismo and CNN, but above all those with a more segmented performance, such as Diário Online DOL, self-styled the “biggest news portal in the Amazon”, TecMundo and the Compre Rural page; 
• It is also worth mentioning the absence of right-wing hyper-partisan outlets on this base. Although such sites have shown strong relevance and participation in other topics already monitored by FGV School of Communication, Media, and Information (FGV ECMI), there is no evidence that this interest also manifests itself in the environmental debate monitored here.
  
   

 

Amazon Summit

Evolution of the Amazon Summit debate on X (former Twitter)

Period: from August 01 to August 08 

 

Source: X | Elaboration: FGV ECMI

 

• President Lula's presence at the Summit in Belém and his statements regarding the event motivated the posts with the greatest impact in this debate. In general, these posts adopted an enthusiastic tone, highlighting the opportunity to discuss sustainable solutions for the biome in cooperation with other countries, with a predominance of government actors;
• Right-wing hyper-partisan outlets, such as Revista Oeste and Jovem Pan News, had a high reach in this discussion. Lula's criticism of the US$ 100 billion that was promised and not delivered for the Amazon, for example, was highlighted by these profiles, as well as the possibility of Lula meeting Nicolás Maduro, President of Venezuela, at the event. It was also stated that Lula would use the Summit to “indoctrinate” children with the environmental agenda, in addition to allegedly “selling” the Amazon to governments and NGOs of other countries; 
• To a lesser extent, there were reports of protests by individuals and organizations engaged in the environmental agenda at the event, such as Greenpeace. Among the agendas disclosed in the protests, there are requests for greater emphasis on fossil fuels and the practical demands of indigenous peoples, which motivated a march in Belém towards the event.
  
   

 

Main terms about the Amazon Summit on X (former Twitter)

Period: from August 01 to August 09, at 10 am

Source: X | Elaboration: FGV ECMI

 

• When we detail the main terms of the environmental debate, unraveling only those that relate to the mentions of the Summit, we notice a variety of narratives in circulation. They reflect advances and proposals discussed at the Amazon Dialogues event, especially from government profiles, in addition to the importance of cooperation between the heads of state of Amazonian countries;
• The agendas of climate change and deforestation also gained prominence in the digital debate, highlighting the role of indigenous peoples and how such changes can drastically affect different countries; 
• It is also worth mentioning that disagreements between heads of state also had repercussions, being framed as obstacles to any act of international cooperation. At the center of these disagreements, the speech of the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, in repudiation of the use of oil in the Amazon, was classified, both by the right and by sectors of the left, as too “radical”;
• Among the right, theories circulate that deal with globalism and refer to Petro as a “socialist” in tune with George Soros. The field also mentioned the European Union when dealing with the Amazon Fund, indicating that Lula would have “rushed to beautify” the capital of Pará to justify raising funds.

 

Main posts on the topic on Facebook and Instagram

Period: from August 01 to August 09, at 10 am

Source: Facebook and Instagram | Elaboration: FGV ECMI

 

• In an optimistic tone, the declarations of Lula and other government political actors about the event had a high repercussion on Facebook. The general idea is that the president and the other leaders of the participating countries would be making history with the Summit. In the opposition, the main criticism fell on the possible participation of Maduro in the event. The cancellation of the Venezuelan president's participation was also echoed in traditional media outlets;
• Instagram followed the same trend as Facebook, mixing government political actors, especially Lula and the Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva, with political actors from the opposition. However, right-wing hyper-partisan outlets had a significant reach on this network. The non-participation of the President of the United States in the event and the possible meeting between Lula and Maduro were the most far-reaching themes conveyed by these profiles, in addition to Lula's alleged contempt for indigenous leaders during the Summit. Although Maduro announced the cancellation of his participation, these outlet did not report or did not emphasize this fact.
  
   

 

Posts by local media outlets about the Amazon Summit on Facebook 

Period: from August 01 to August 09, at 10 am

Source: Facebook | Elaboration: FGV ECMI

 

• Publications by local media outlets are concentrated in the North of the country, especially in Pará and Amazonas, states in which the volume of interactions in such posts also stands out. Vehicles and channels from São Paulo, Alagoas and Mato Grosso also show interest in the topic;
• In this sense, there is a certain difference in the way in which the vehicles of each state deal with the Amazon Summit. In Pará, for example, more progressive posts are highlighted that guide the struggle of indigenous peoples, while in Amazonas different actions against environmental crimes are reflected. In both, the content is mostly favorable to the event.
  
   

 

Messages about the Amazon Summit on Telegram

Period: from August 01 to August 09, at 10 am

| Total messages: 111

Source: Telegram | Elaboration: FGV ECMI

 

• On Telegram, messages about the Amazon Summit are not significant, in terms of volume, but they help to disseminate denialist and conspiratorial perspectives, in addition to disinformation axes. It is worth highlighting, in this sense, the role of some political figures in this process, such as councilor Carlos Bolsonaro (Republicanos-RJ);
• The main motto of these messages is to indicate that, in Lula's administration, the rates of environmental crimes would have worsened, in addition to content that suggests disagreements between Lula and other political leaders, such as Gustavo Petro;
• The role and relevance of indigenous leaders was also frequently questioned on Telegram. In this sense, aggression and insults to figures such as Cacique Raoni, as well as messages that contest the legitimacy of subjects such as the leader at the head of the Secretariat of the Indigenous Peoples of Pará, Bira Sompré.