A Brazilian news site has decided not to cover this year’s elections after receiving threats against its journalists and their families, citing safety concerns.
The independent journalism website Tapajós de Fato has announced it will not cover this year’s elections, citing threats against its journalists and their families. The site’s co-founder, Marcos Wesley Pedroso, stated the decision was made to protect the team and their loved ones. The threats began four years ago during Brazil’s last presidential election, when the tires of the site’s reporting vehicle were slashed. Days later, a severed cat’s head was left near the car park with a note bearing Pedroso’s name and a warning that he would be next.
More recently, security cameras captured cyclists circling Pedroso’s home, whistling and filming his car before another vehicle crashed into it. Pedroso believes the incident was an attempt to lure him outside for an ambush. Police have not identified those responsible or determined if these cases are connected, but Pedroso views them as part of a broader pattern of threats linked to the site’s reporting on environmental and Indigenous rights violations, land disputes, and pesticide contamination in the Amazonian state of Pará. While the site will remain online and continue covering environmental issues, it has decided to avoid election-related stories this year.
Why it matters
The decision follows past threats, including slashed tyres and a severed cat head left near the site’s premises.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.
What to watch
Watch whether Tapajós de Fato continues to avoid election reporting while covering environmental issues.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.