Gold Rush Takes Thousands to Amazonas

FABIANO MAISONNAVE
SPECIAL ENVOY TO NOVO ARIPUANÃ (AM)

Rural producer Arildo Ari Mar, 72, has never liked big cities and did not want to follow his siblings as they left the Santa Rosa community for Manaus, on a boat trip of some 500 kilometers.

One month ago, however, he saw a city of gold prospectors appear in the area of the Madeira river just in front of his house.

“These boats come out of nowhere. We did not even know that there was gold here. All I know is that they tested here, stayed and later people from Humaitá, Porto Velho, arrived too,” says Mr. Mar, a former rubber tapper. Read more.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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