Every week, on my way to the farm, I have to pay a toll for indians.
There is no other choice.
The road that passes over their land is the shortest one that connects Sapezal region(1.500.000 soybeans acres) to the rest of the state. Alternatives are unpractical and at least 100 miles longer.
Knowing that, they charge us on both directions, R$20 (about 8,50 US dollars) on cars or pickups, and R$50 (21,30 US dollars) on trucks.
Of course, the toll is unconstitutional, and disrespect the right to come and go of any brazilian citizen, but because the enforcement of the law could raise a riot, things stay as they are. In a certain way, everyone that lives around or has a business related to this region, is a hostage of the situation.
The indians aren’t obliged to provide any service in return, but with the road conditions so bad that the ordinary population attitude towards them has been anything but friendly, something different happened last week…they have started using a portion of the toll’s money on road repairs.
So unusual, that became a new of national level.
You can check the whole video report(and my fellow above advertising INTACTA), here.