The Brazilian Army’s Presence at the Western Edge of the Amazon

In the channel of the Javari River, near the border with Peru, approximately 150 kilometers south of Tabatinga (Amazonas), a fleet of three tactical vessels belonging to the Brazilian Army sailed slowly on a routine river patrol. Each boat was crewed by 11 Soldiers armed with Para-FAL 7.62 rifles. At each boat’s prow, the operator of a MAG 7.62 machine gun searched the area ahead, while his colleagues observed the sinuous riverbed. On the opposite shore, a suspicious presence caught the Military personnel’s attention. A small boat without the Brazilian flag was stopped and being loaded. Armed men wearing camouflage clothes and civilians were in the area. The fleet’s outboard motors were disengaged.