Operation CATRIMANI II
Boa Vista (RR) – On July 12, authorities from the Ministry of Defense paid an inspection visit to the temporary bases of Pakilapi and Kayanaú, in the Yanomami Indigenous Land. The bases were set up in Roraima, where they house around 50 agents from different agencies, who work against illegal mining, cross-border illicit activities and environmental crimes. The structures also assist health teams in providing humanitarian assistance to indigenous people and riverside communities in the region.
The structures are equipped to withstand the challenges of the Amazon jungle, and were built at the request of the Roraima Government House to the Joint Command of Operation Catrimani II. Aircraft and military personnel from the three Armed Forces worked together to establish the temporary bases.
The inspection of the facilities was conducted by a delegation led by the Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Marcelo Arantes Guedon, and the Deputy Chief of Operations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, Vice Admiral José Cláudio Oliveira Macedo.
In order to check on the completion of the works and the operational status of the bases, located around 240 km from Boa Vista, the delegation took off from Boa Vista Air Base in a Brazilian Army HM-1 Pantera helicopter. On the way there, they were able to see the difficulties of the construction logistics: a closed forest region with no access by land; low draft river routes, which do not allow large vessels to navigate; and the unpredictability of the weather, making it difficult to transport personnel and material by air. Despite the difficulties, the Temporary Bases were set up in less than two months and consist of housing modules, maintenance areas and supply storage.
During his visit, General Guedon highlighted the state’s presence in the strategic location and argued that the installation should focus on three pillars: monitoring the forest, supporting local communities and combating illegal deforestation. “The work here goes beyond traditional military operations. We are working in collaboration with various agencies to preserve our lands and support the region’s residents,” he concluded.
Catrimani II Joint Command
Operation Catrimani II is a joint action between Public Security bodies, Agencies and the Armed Forces, in coordination with the Roraima Government House, in the temporary and episodic use of resources in the Yanomami Indigenous Land, in compliance with GM-MD Ordinance No. 1511, of March 26, 2024, which aims to act in a preventive and repressive manner against illegal mining, cross-border illicit activities and environmental crimes.