Jonas Mura, the big boss of the Mura Indigenous people, is all like, “Peace out!” because oil and gas companies crashed the party around ten years ago. He’s been fighting tooth and nail against fossil fuel drilling in the Amazonas state of Brazil, not too far from where COP30 is going down this November. The Mura villages, chillin’ along the Amazon River, are sitting on a goldmine of over 10 billion cubic meters of gas, catching the eye of Brazilian power player Eneva. This company scored a sweet $100 mil from the government to build two gas-fired plants worth a cool $1 billion in total.
So, Mura’s like, “Nah, I’m good,” when Eneva tried to bribe him with fancy apartments, cars, and houses to let them do their thing. He knew his people would still be suffering, so he shut them down. And that’s when things got real ugly – they even tried to take him out. Eneva swears they played by the rules and didn’t mess with Indigenous lands, but Mura’s house got torched in 2016 and his ride got shot up. By 2023, he needed special protection ’cause of all the threats.
Feeling pretty hopeless, Mura knows he’s outgunned by these big companies with all their cash and weapons. All he’s got is a bow and arrow, man. The Amazon is becoming a hot spot for oil and gas action, holding a whopping 20% of the reserves found between 2022 and 2024. Brazil and other countries are all about that drill life.
But Mura ain’t backing down. He’s taken his fight from local turf to the big leagues, teaming up with tons of other Amazon Indigenous groups from Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia. They’re all demanding a ban on oil and gas drilling in the rainforest, calling for a shift to cleaner energy that respects Mother Earth. Their movement kicked off at COP16 in Colombia and they’re gearing up for COP30, pushing for a solid deal to phase out fossil fuels.
At a recent pow-wow in Peru, these Indigenous leaders bonded over their struggles, feeling like a tight-knit fam. They’ve all faced attacks and threats, but they’re not throwing in the towel. Bisa, a top dog from the Chapra nation in Peru, has been dodging death threats for years. Her haters even tried to snatch her kids. She’s pointing the finger at the oil industry for all her troubles.
The Chapra have been dealing with oil drama way longer than their Brazilian homies, thanks to the Northern Peruvian Oil Pipeline stirring up trouble since ’77. Spills are just another day in the office, with a big one wrecking the Pastaza River in 2024. Prosecutors busted a shady crew in 2023 for causing spills on purpose and cashing in on the cleanup. Indigenous groups are sick of it all, hitting oil sites to make noise and demanding justice.
The Amazon crew isn’t messing around. They’re demanding a full stop on shady oil deals, a freeze on new oil projects, and plans to phase out current operations. They want eco-friendly tech and climate funds to boost local economies. It’s all about protecting the land and their heritage for future gens.
With COP30 rolling up in the Amazon hood, Brazil is trying to get Indigenous peeps in on the action. They’re setting up an Indigenous Commission and training up 30 diplomats to rep their crew. But these leaders aren’t impressed, especially with Brazil pushing oil exploration in the Amazon. They’re bringing the heat to COP30, ready to make some noise and push for change.
The Free Earth Camp last week in Brasilia was a massive flex, with thousands of Indigenous folks rallying against oil and gas in the Amazon. They’re not feeling Brazil’s oil auctions, calling for a halt to drilling. Mura knows this fight is about more than just land – it’s about preserving history and keeping the Amazon alive for future generations.
