THE Brazilian government is to revoke a decree signed by President Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva that allowed private concessions for waterways.

Monday’s announcement followed 33 days of protests by thousands of indigenous people at a Cargill facility in Santarem, northern Brazil.

The decree authorised the government to assess the concession of waterways to private operators, including the responsibility for maintenance, dredging and vessel‑traffic management.

Winning the U-turn is a major victory for the indigenous movement, which argued that dredging projects threaten the Tapajos river, indigenous territories and the ecological balance of the world’s largest rainforest.

The Amazon plays a critical role in regulating the climate far beyond South America.

Scientists warn that continued forest loss could accelerate global warming and disrupt agriculture as far away as the Midwest of the United States and parts of Europe.

“Revoking the decree is more than a political decision. It confirms that the struggle of indigenous peoples and the communities that resisted was never in vain,” the Tapajos and Arapiuns Indigenous Council, which represents 14 peoples and led the protest in Para state, said in a statement.

“What won today was life. The river won, the forest won, the memory of our ancestors won.”

The proposal had also sparked outrage among supporters of Lula, a leftwinger who is seeking re-election later this year. 

Some pointed to what they saw as contradictions in the president’s pledge to be a climate leader.

Plans to dredge the Tapajos river are tied to other large Amazon infrastructure projects, including a proposed railway driven by demand from the agricultural commodities sector — especially soya and corn producers — along an export corridor.

Guilherme Boulos, general secretary of the presidency, said on Monday that Lula had decided to revoke the decree after hearing indigenous concerns.

“This is a government willing to reverse its own decision when it understands and recognises their position,” Mr Guilherme added.