A boat belonging to a suspect was found with blood on it. This is in connection to the disappearance of a British journalist, and a Brazilian expert. Supporters have asked London and Brasilia for "intensification of research".
"Traces of blood were discovered on the boat of 41 year-old Amarildo de Costa de Oliveira (known as 'Pelado') which was taken into custody on Tuesday." The police also reported that the "suspicious" incident occurred on Thursday, June 9th.
The statement said that the material was on its way to Manaus, the capital of the Amazonas region state, "to be submitted to expertise". It also included images of investigators taking photographs of what appears to have been a small bloodstain on the blue tarp of a motorboat with peeling painted.
Dom Phillips (57), a regular contributor to "The Guardian", and Bruno Araujo Pereira (41), a well-respected expert on indigenous peoples are both missing from Javari Valley, which is a "dangerous region" according to police. They were conducting interviews for an environmental conservation book. Two men traveled from Atalaia do Norte in the state Amazonas to interview people around a Funai Base - a government agency responsible for indigenous peoples. They reached Lake Jaburu Friday evening, June 3.
On Sunday morning, June 5, they returned to Atalaia Do Norte but didn't return as planned. They stopped in Sao Rafael where Bruno Pereira had scheduled a meeting. Witnesses claimed that they saw the suspect speeding past in a boat going in the same direction they saw Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira. The man was arrested by police for possessing unauthorized ammunition and drugs.
This disappeared led to the mobilization and activation of people and groups for the defense and promotion of the environment and human right. Protests were held in London and Brasilia on Thursday, June 9.
On Thursday, the family of the journalist called on British and Brazilian authorities to London to intensify their efforts to locate two men they "hope" to find.
"Where is Dom Phillips?" Bruno Pereira is missing. Sian Phillips, the sister of the journalist, asked this question during a statement to press. It was part of a demonstration of about 30 people held in front of the Brazilian Embassy. She said that "we want the British authorities put pressure on Brazil's government", "we desire the search to continue", and "we want to find out what happened to them", accusing the Brazilian authorities for putting off the start of the search.
Federal police stated Thursday that they would continue to search the area with the armed forces in order for Phillips and Pereira to return as soon as possible their loved ones. She had previously admitted that she did not exclude "any track", even homicide in an area where many traffics are conducted, the day before.
Brasilia: Kamu Dan, an activist for the defense indigenous peoples, said to AFP that he was still waiting for answers from the government, Funai, and police.
The activist stated that the state is failing to defend indigenous peoples against intruders, loggers and drug traffickers.
The Javari Valley, which is located near the Peruvian border and is very difficult to reach, is seeing an increase in violence from poachers, drug traffickers, and miners. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro called Phillips' and Pereira's trip "a dangerous adventure" and stated that in a place like this "anything could happen."
