Dom Phillips was 'collateral damage' in drunken ambush, claims Brazil vice-president
Hamilton Mourão’s claim sparked anger from Indigenous communities who believe organised crime was involved
Protesters in Brasilia demand justice for journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira who were murdered in the Amazon. Photograph: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
Andrew Downie in São Paulo, Oliver Laughland and Roberto Kaz in Atalaia do Norte
Tue 21 Jun 2022 15.51 EDT
Brazil’s vice-president has claimed that British journalist Dom Phillips was “collateral damage” in an attack on his travelling partner, the Indigenous activist Bruno Pereira, as grisly details emerged about the killing of the two men in early June.
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Phillips and Pereira were returning from a trip in the region on 5 June when they went missing. Phillips was working on a book about sustainable development called How to Save the Amazon, and Pereira, who had close contacts with local Indigenous groups, was helping him with interviews.
Witnesses said Pereira had been threatened by the men the day before on the Itaquaí river. It is believed they were worried Pereira had evidence of their illegal fishing trips in the area, much of which is reserved exclusively for Indigenous tribes.
Amarildo said Phillips and Pereira were shot as they tried to escape their pursuers and Pereira fired back.
More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/21/dom-phillips-drunken-ambush-brazil-vice-president
