An independent journalism website in the Brazilian Amazon, Tapajós de Fato, has announced it will not cover this year's elections. The decision was made to protect its journalists and their families following a series of threats.
Marcos Wesley Pedroso, a co-founder of the site, stated, "We're afraid of dying and of putting our families' safety at risk." Threats reported by the site include a car crash last July and, four years ago, slashed tyres on a reporting vehicle and a severed cat's head left with a warning note bearing Pedroso's name.
Pedroso believes these incidents are linked to Tapajós de Fato's reporting on environmental and Indigenous rights violations, land disputes, and pesticide contamination in the Amazonian state of Pará. Police have not identified those responsible or established connections between the cases.
Letícia Kleim, legal coordinator at the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism, described Tapajós de Fato's decision as a serious example of the consequences of attacks against journalists during the electoral period. She added that silencing journalists affects not only their community but also democracy.