Dozens of people gathered at the iconic event this Sunday at Copacabana Beach to urge authorities in Rio de Janeiro to intensify searches for a missing British journalist and a Brazilian Indigenous activist in the forested reaches of the Brazilian Amazon, near the borders with Peru and Colombia.
The British journalist, Dom Phillips, a contributor to The Guardian, and Bruno Araújo Pereira, a Brazilian Indigenous rights advocate, have been missing since Sunday morning, June 5, in a remote area where investigations into threats against Indigenous communities are ongoing.
The cool morning air in Rio limited access to the site, drawing a crowd to the gathering known as Watchtower 6, where Phillips once surfed during his years living in the city widely nicknamed the Marvelous City.
Eight days into the unknown status of the two men, relatives, friends, and supporters who have followed their ordeals arrived at the city’s most famous beach to demand a renewed, more robust search effort by both journalists and local volunteers.
Among those present were Phillips’ mother-in-law and brother-in-law, as Phillips had formed his partner there in the past. Since 2007, he had resided with his partner in Salvador, the capital of Bahia state in Brazil.
Search operation signage and a solemn tone were visible as attendees wore white shirts bearing a disappearing portrait and the question Where are they? against a red backdrop, a silent, symbolic act that resonated with many who shared concern for the missing pair.
Since the disappearance on the previous Sunday, authorities have pursued a suspect and questioned several witnesses. The response has drawn international attention, with calls from national and international figures and NGOs urging the Jair Bolsonaro administration to marshal all available resources to resolve the case quickly.
After a week, authorities reported traces of blood on the boat used by the suspects, with the sole suspect arrested in connection to the disappearance being interrogated. Investigators were also analyzing material samples recovered near the last known location of Phillips and Pereira, alongside other potential evidence described as possibly human material discovered on the surrounding terrain.
UN complaint
A coalition of non-governmental and international organizations, including the United Nations Human Rights Office and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, pressed for expedited action and greater government commitment. Bolsonaro’s government was urged to accelerate the search and ensure adequate resources, with critics saying initial responses were slow and dismissive.
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court also called for authorities to maintain a visible presence in the investigation during the week ahead, focusing on efforts to locate both journalists and local allies who may have information about their disappearance.
Valle do Javari, the vast indigenous territory at the center of the case, is known for conflict and illegal activity involving drug trafficking, illegal logging, and mining. Pereira, who has worked in the area for years, faced threats from criminal groups connected to these activities, with concerns rising about the safety of local communities and activists.
Phillips, a seasoned journalist who has lived in Brazil for about 15 years, has contributed to several major outlets and is conducting research for a book about Valle do Javari. The two men disappeared on June 5 while traveling from the Sao Rafael community toward Atalaia do Norte in Amazonas state, intending to reach the latter on Sunday morning.
They were traveling aboard a recently acquired boat and carried enough fuel for the journey, with only a few kilometers separating the last confirmed sighting near the Sao Gabriel community, a short distance from Sao Rafael. The case has drawn attention to the dangers faced by reporters and local activists working in remote frontier zones, where law enforcement and environmental conflicts often intersect with organized crime.