Sebastião Salgado leads celebrity-backed petition to protect Brazil's indigenous communities from COVID-19

Brazilian photojournalist Sebastião Salgado has issued an urgent open letter and petition demanding greater protection for indigenous communities against COVID-19, supported by 176,000 signatories including celebrities Meryl Streep, Brad Pitt, and Oprah Winfrey. The letter directly addresses far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, criticizing his administration's tacit support for illegal mining and farming operations that invade indigenous lands in the Amazon region, increasing coronavirus exposure risks. Salgado draws historical parallels to colonial-era genocides caused by disease spread while highlighting contemporary injustices like deforestation, forest fires, poisoned rivers, and land invasions. With Brazil recording over 100,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 7,000 deaths, Bolsonaro has repeatedly downplayed pandemic dangers and opposed lockdown measures implemented by state governors. Salgado warns that indigenous extinction would represent both a national tragedy and immense loss for humanity, emphasizing there is no time to lose in taking action.