Brazil revives plans to build highway through Amazon rainforest

2026-05-28 07:41:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Brazilian government announced on Wednesday that it will invest $75 million (65 million euros) in the BR-319 highway that runs through the heart of the Amazon rainforest. The administration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also announced an environmental plan to protect the forest from the highway's potential impacts.

Environmentalists argue that much of the deforestation in the Amazon rainforest occurs along roads because they are easier to access, and advocate for developing commitments that take this into account.

The Amazon rainforest is not only home to millions of species of plants and animals, but it also plays a significant cooling role on the planet. Plus, its trees also absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — CO? that is released back into the atmosphere when the trees are cut down.

What you need to know about BR-319

BR-319 was officially opened in 1976 and was later abandoned because road maintenance became too difficult. Since then, only a portion of the road has been usable.

The 900-kilometer dirt road is the only one connecting the manufacturing hub of Manaus, deep in the jungle in the north, to the rest of the country. The highway project was pushed by the country's military dictatorship, which wanted to develop the area and integrate it with the rest of the country.

Lula pledges to protect climate

"From an environmental point of view, it will be the most modern road in the world," Lula said during a ceremony in Amazonas state, where the city of Manaus is located, accompanied by Environment Minister Joao Paulo Capobianco.

"Any foreigner who comes here to give his opinion on the climate issue, we will show what we have done here ," Lula said.

The government pledged to install inspection checkpoints, enforcement agency bases and create new conservation units. It said it would hire a private company in 2028 to support law enforcement.

Environmental group challenges BR-319 highway project

Environmental groups, including the Climate Observatory, have challenged the highway project in court.

In 2024, the Climate Observatory filed a lawsuit to overturn the preliminary license for the paving of the BR-319 highway, issued in 2022, arguing that officials ignored technical warnings from Brazil's environmental agency and failed to require key safeguards, such as indigenous consultations and climate impact studies.

Subsequent legal challenges temporarily halted a process related to the tender in April, but a higher court quickly overturned the stay.

Lula, a leftist leader who took office in 2023, has spoken positively about the construction of the BR-319 highway, saying it can be done while protecting the environment. /DW