Indigenous march in Brazil to demand more land be set aside for their stewardship

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — With the first U.N. climate talks in the Amazon approaching, thousands of Indigenous people marched Tuesday in Brazil’s capital, demanding the state guarantee and expand their rights to traditional lands as part of the solution to the world’s climate crisis.

The protest is the high point of the annual Free Land Indigenous Camp, now in its 21st edition. Bearing messages such as “Land rights = Climate Action,” they walked toward Three Powers Square, where Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace are located in Brasilia.

“Indigenous territories are the most preserved and contribute to slowing the climate crisis we’re facing. But they are also the first to be impacted,” said Luene Karipuna, from the Amazonian state of Amapá, while marching. “We feel it directly in our lands, where we lost our entire cassava crop — our staple food in my community.”

Thirteen percent of Brazil´s territory consists of recognized Indigenous lands, most of it in the Amazon.

In the past two years, the Amazon basin has suffered its worst drought on record, leading to a surge in wildfires, isolation for river communities, crop losses and the death of wildlife, including the endangered pink dolphin. Some studies have linked the region´s extreme weather to climate change.

Like several other Indigenous leaders, Karipuna plans to attend the climate talks — also known as COP30 — in November in the city of Belem. They hope the event will be a chance to promote land demarcation and other Indigenous rights in all Amazon countries, and are pressing for a greater role during the event.

“This is a historic COP for the social movement. It’s a key moment for all Indigenous peoples to show that we are alive,” said Juan Carlos Jintiach, an Indigenous leader from Ecuador and executive secretary of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, an international organization representing Indigenous peoples from Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Last year, the Indigenous movement had called for the nomination of a co-president for COP30. The proposal was rejected, but the conference’s president, Brazilian climate secretary André Corrêa do Lago, pledged to create a so-called Circle of Indigenous Leadership “to help integrate traditional knowledge and wisdom into global collective intelligence.”

Dinamam Tuxá, coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, said they are frustrated by the rejection of the co-presidency proposal and are still analyzing Lago’s plan.

“The COP is a political moment when countries come together to negotiate the climate crisis, but unfortunately it does not engage directly with Indigenous peoples at the negotiation tables — even though we are the main defenders of these territories and are actively fighting climate change,” Tuxá told the AP.

Satellite data show that Indigenous territories in the Amazon — a region twice the size of India — have very low deforestation rates. The world’s largest tropical forest is a major carbon sink and climate regulator, and it holds 20% of the planet’s fresh water.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Indigenous people march during the annual Free Earth camp, where Brazil's Indigenous communities discuss rights, territorial protection and their role in COP30, which will take place for the first time in the Amazon, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Indigenous people march during the annual Free Earth camp, where they discuss rights, territorial protection and their role in COP30, which will take place for the first time in the Amazon, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Indigenous Chief Raoni Metuktire sits in a wheelchair during the annual Free Earth camp, where Brazil's Indigenous communities discuss rights, territorial protection and their role in COP30, which will take place for the first time in the Amazon, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Indigenous people dig a hole for an empty coffin, symbolizing the death of lawmakers who they say are against their rights and territorial protection, during a march at the annual Free Earth camp in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Indigenous people march during the annual Free Earth camp, where they discuss rights, territorial protection and their role in COP30 which will take place for the first time in the Amazon, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

An Indigenous woman attends in the annual Free Earth camp where Brazil's Indigenous communities discuss rights, territorial protection and their role in COP30 which will take place for the first time in the Amazon, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

An Indigenous woman attends a march during the annual Free Earth camp where Brazil's Indigenous communities discuss rights, territorial protection and their role in COP30 which will take place for the first time in the Amazon, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Indigenous people protest outside Congress during the annual Free Earth camp in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Indigenous people march during the annual Free Earth camp, where Brazil's Indigenous communities discuss rights, territorial protection and their role in COP30, which will take place for the first time in the Amazon, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

An Indigenous person carries a scale during a march at the annual Free Earth camp where Brazil's Indigenous communities discuss rights, territorial protection and their role in COP30, which will take place for the first time in the Amazon, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

MILAN (AP) — Norwegian cyclist Fredrik Dversnes claimed the biggest victory of his career as he won the 15th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday, while Jonas Vingegaard remained in the overall lead heading into the final week.

Dversnes won from a four-man breakaway that escaped early on the flat 157-kilometer (98-mile) route that started in Voghera and ended with four laps of the finishing circuit in Milan.

The Uno-X Mobility rider edged out his fellow escapees by almost a bicycle length, with Mirco Maestri finishing second and Martin Marcellusi third.

It is the first Giro for Dversnes and his team.

“Super good help from the other guys in the breakaway … They were really, really strong today,” Dversnes said. "I knew I had good opportunities because I’m pretty good at going in breakaways, so this was my big shot.

“I’ve been joking this year that I will try to trick the peloton in one of these sprint stages, so I really wanted to do that and prove that, so super glad to make it. It's big. It’s a really big and incredible feeling.”

Vingegaard, who had seized control of the race on Saturday, finished safely in the peloton to maintain his overall advantage of 2:26 over Afonso Eulálio, with Felix Gall 24 seconds further back.

The race jury decided to neutralize Sunday's stage for the last lap after several riders — including Vingegaard — complained about the road surface and the placing of the barriers. The overall times were taken at the last passage under the finish arch, before the start of the last lap.

“Maybe today was not the most safe road, so to speak, but we tried to speak with the organization and they really listened to us,” Vingegaard said. “So I want to thank the organization as well for listening to what we had to say today.”

Monday sees the Giro’s third and final rest day before Tuesday’s brutal 16th stage. The 113-kilometer route from Bellinzona includes five classified climbs, including the top-category slog to the finish in Carì.

The Giro ends on May 31 in Rome.

The women’s Giro from May 30-June 7 will be defended by Italian rider Elisa Longo Borghini.

AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling

Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard wears the pink jersey of the race overall leader as he stands on the podium after completing the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Norway's Fredrik Dversnes Lavik, left, celebrates winning the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Norway's Fredrik Dversnes Lavik celebrates winning the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Pink jersey Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard, center, pedals during Stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

The pack of riders pedals during the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)

Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard wearing the pink jersey of the race overall leader, waves to fans ahead of the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)