From the space fragility to the territory vulnerability: the river pirating in the Solimoes river in the Amazonas state

Abstract

The robust emptiness in the Amazonas State has allowed for the emergence of criminal activities and organizations developed where the territory is realized in an incomplete, late and deficient manner. This article aims to discuss the vulnerability of the territory from the actions of pirates of the Solimões River, in the Amazonas State. The research area is the stretch between the largest urban centers of this region, the cities of Tefé and Coari. Initially, the fragility of the space is discussed, arising from the lack of efficiency or even the absence of crucial spatial elements that causes vulnerability to the territory. Subsequently, in order to understand the pirates of the Solimões River and their actions in the region, a classification of river pirating is proposed based on the use of the territory, the scales and strategies of action, as well as the equipment used in their attacks. This article contributes to the understanding of the criminal use of the territory in Brazilian peripheral spaces from the reading of the socio-spatial dynamics in this fraction of the largest river in the world.