Brazilian Soy Giant Expands in Bolivia as Forest Loss Shifts

Bloomberg Originals

Brazil's strict environmental enforcement is pushing illegal deforestation across the border into Bolivia, where Brazilian agribusinesses exploit legal loopholes and political backing to clear the Amazon.

AI-assisted summary of The Deal That May Reshape the Amazon’s Future — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2026-09-12

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube by Bloomberg Originals on August 12, 2026, this video investigates how Brazil's crackdown on Amazon deforestation has shifted environmental pressures into neighboring Bolivia. The page description highlights a closed-door deal reshaping the rainforest's future as deforestation declines sharply in Brazil while escalating rapidly across the Bolivian border.

## TL;DR While Brazil reduced tropical forest loss by 41% in 2025 through strict law enforcement, industrial agribusiness has shifted operations across the border into San Ignacio de Velasco, Bolivia. Led by major soy tycoons like Eraí Maggi Scheffer and backed by new infrastructure plans under Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, vast tracts of pristine forest like the 30,000-hectare INPA estate face clear-cutting. Legal loopholes, regulatory capture, and low fines for unauthorized clearing facilitate this rapid land conversion despite intense resistance from indigenous Chiquitano communities and public protests in La Paz. Global Forest Watch data confirms an inverse trend: as Brazilian forest loss slows, Amazonian deforestation in Bolivia continues to climb toward a critical tipping point.

## Atmosphere & style The report carries a serious, investigative, and urgent tone, combining boots-on-the-ground journalism in remote frontier towns with high-level corporate and political scrutiny. The narrative style builds tension through clandestine discoveries—such as confidential ministerial meetings and corporate land deals—contrasting quiet indigenous traditional practices with the sweeping, mechanical scale of industrial monomorphic soy fields. Visually and emotionally, it feels like an eye-opening cross-border exposure of economic spillover, capturing the stark divide between protected canopy and mass environmental transformation.

## Key takeaways - [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=15s) Brazil has reduced tropical rainforest loss by 41% through strict enforcement, but agricultural demand is shifting deforestation across the border into Bolivia. - [01:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=103s) San Ignacio de Velasco has become Bolivia's primary hotspot for forest loss, driven by an influx of Brazilian soy producers and cattle ranchers. - [04:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=270s) The election of Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz ended nearly two decades of leftist rule, shifting national policy toward aggressive agricultural expansion. - [06:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=394s) Soybeans are Bolivia's leading agricultural export, with 75% of the harvest processed and exported for livestock feed. - [06:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=394s) A confidential meeting between Brazilian agribusiness leaders, Brazil's Agriculture Minister, and Bolivian ministers focused on cross-border infrastructure and agricultural expansion. - [14:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=854s) Brazilian soy giant Eraí Maggi Scheffer met with President Paz and plans major investments in Bolivia, supported by a proposed cross-border highway. - [14:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=854s) Historical data shows over 90% of Amazonian deforestation occurs adjacent to highway routes, making new road proposals a major environmental threat. - [15:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=957s) Maggi's enterprise, Bom Futuro, put down a financial deposit to acquire the 30,000-hectare INPA forest property, equivalent to five times the size of Manhattan. - [21:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1275s) The indigenous Chiquitano Cabildo raised concerns over escalating land disputes and territorial loss resulting from industrial farm expansion. - [28:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1699s) Foreign investors circumvent Bolivia's constitutional 5,000-hectare land ownership limit and border restrictions by registering properties through corporate entities. - [28:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1699s) Statutory fines for illegal land clearing top out around $1 million, offering little deterrence against post-clearing property values exceeding $20 million. - [28:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1699s) Key environmental policy oversight in Bolivia was assigned to Former soy industry executives, including Minister of Development Planning Fernando Romero Pinto. - [39:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2354s) At the São Paulo Business Forum, Eraí Maggi publicly confirmed land acquisitions in Bolivia to replicate the Mato Grosso intensive agricultural model. - [39:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2354s) Mass public protests in La Paz forced the Bolivian government to repeal land consolidation legislation, though deforestation rates in Bolivia continue to rise.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=15s) Global Climate Crisis and Brazil's Agribusiness Contradiction

The report opens against the backdrop of rising global emissions, persistent warming, and mounting public demands for climate action. For the first time in history, UN climate talks were hosted within the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, bringing the biome and its inhabitants to the center of global attention. Yet, the summit also put a spotlight on the host nation's central paradox: over the past four decades, Brazil has transformed itself into "the supermarket of the world," building one of the most powerful agricultural economies on Earth driven by soybean, beef, and corn production—all of which historically relied on clearing vast swaths of land.

At the same time, Brazil has been celebrated as an environmental conservation success story. Tropical rainforest loss in Brazil dropped significantly, decreasing by 41% in 2025 alone due to rigorous law enforcement and strict monitoring. However, global demand for agricultural commodities has not vanished, nor have the financial motivations of the producers who profit from them. As environmental enforcement tightens inside Brazil, agribusiness producers appear to be shifting their operations across the border, raising the question of whether deforestation was truly curtailed or merely displaced.

- Global tropical rainforest loss dropped by a third overall, with Brazil's forest loss falling 41% in 2025. - Demonstrators and indigenous groups blocked entrances to the UN Climate Conference in Brazil to protest ongoing environmental destruction.

[01:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=103s) Arrival in Santa Cruz and the Leakage of Deforestation to Bolivia

Journalist Fabiano Maisonnave arrives in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, the economic powerhouse of Bolivia and the central hub of its accelerating deforestation. Having spent his career reporting on the Amazon, Maisonnave sets out to answer a fundamental question: when one nation cracks down on deforestation, where does that economic and environmental pressure go? Brazil actively champions "land sparing"—a strategy focused on maximizing agricultural yields on existing farmland so that remaining forests can be left untouched.

However, traveling toward the Bolivian border reveals a starkly different reality. Brazil’s agricultural boundary is spilling directly into San Ignacio de Velasco, Bolivia’s fastest-growing hotspot for forest loss. Critics argue that land sparing has failed to stop overall deforestation, serving instead to push the destruction into neighboring countries with weaker regulatory oversight. Because the Amazon regulates global climate patterns, any systemic shift in forest loss threatens ecological collapse across the entire biome.

- San Ignacio de Velasco has emerged as Bolivia's primary hotspot for forest loss. - The Amazon contains roughly 16,000 identified tree species, with many others remaining unstudied and unclassified by science.

[04:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=270s) Political Shifts and the Rush to San Ignacio de Velasco

San Ignacio de Velasco is the ancestral territory of the indigenous Chiquitano people. The region is undergoing a rapid transition from traditional subsistence farming to industrial-scale agribusiness, endangering local ecosystems and cultural heritage. The push for agricultural expansion has gained political momentum following Bolivia's presidential election, where centrist Rodrigo Paz won the runoff, bringing an end to nearly two decades of leftist rule with promises to significantly expand national agricultural output.

San Ignacio de Velasco currently concentrates the highest volume of deforestation in Bolivia, driven largely by an influx of Brazilian ranchers and soy growers. Data regarding foreign land acquisition in Bolivia remains highly sensitive and guarded because the Bolivian Constitution strictly restricts foreign land ownership. Consequently, Brazilian agribusiness groups operate discreetly and are notoriously hesitant to speak with journalists.

- Rodrigo Paz's election ended nearly 20 years of leftist government in Bolivia, shifting national policy toward aggressive agricultural expansion. - The Bolivian Constitution places strict legal limits on foreign ownership of national territory.

[06:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=394s) On the Road to San Ignacio and the Secret Ministerial Meeting

Driving through the countryside toward San Ignacio de Velasco, the surrounding landscape is dominated by vast soy plantations. Soybeans represent Bolivia’s top agricultural export and the primary driver of clear-cutting in the region, with three-quarters of the harvest exported for livestock feed. Although geographically situated within the Amazon basin, the natural vegetation has been almost completely eradicated, replaced by mechanized monomorphic fields.

During the journey, the reporting team uncovers details about a confidential, closed-door meeting held on a private estate in San Ignacio. The gathering brought together Brazilian soy producers, Brazil's Minister of Agriculture, and two Bolivian cabinet ministers. Contacts confirm that discussions focused on border infrastructure and expanding Brazilian agribusiness operations into Bolivian territory—agreements that could dramatically accelerate forest clearance across the region.

- Soybeans are Bolivia's leading agricultural export, with 75% of production processed into animal feed. - The confidential meeting in San Ignacio involved Brazil's Minister of Agriculture, two Bolivian ministers, and prominent Brazilian agribusiness executives.

[08:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=521s) Exploring Local Realities in San Ignacio de Velasco

Upon entering San Ignacio de Velasco, the cultural and economic presence of Brazil is immediately evident throughout the town, from Brazilian commercial storefronts to national flags. To understand the landscape before the arrival of large-scale agribusiness, the news team visits a local family that has practiced traditional, sustainable farming for generations.

The contrast highlights the ecological value of untouched rainforest. The loss of forest in the Amazon involves not just the removal of trees, but the destruction of complex, undocumented ecosystems and biodiversity. Every hectare cleared eliminates plant and animal species before scientists have had the opportunity to study or record them.

- San Ignacio de Velasco exhibits deep economic ties to Brazil through widespread commerce and cross-border migration. - Traditional agroforestry practices in the region stand in direct contrast to the ecological clearing driven by industrial soy farming.

[14:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=854s) Uncovering the "King of Soybean" and the Proposed Highway

Through a contact at Rancho Dorado—the Brazilian-owned estate where the confidential ministerial meeting took place—the investigative team learns that Eraí Maggi Scheffer attended the sessions. Known globally as the "King of Soybean," Maggi is one of the world's largest soy producers. Following a two-hour private meeting with Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz, Maggi declared that Bolivia was entering a "new era" and expressed intention to make substantial capital investments in the region.

To facilitate these investments, Brazilian producers are lobbying heavily for the construction of a new international highway directly connecting Brazil and Bolivia through the forest. In the Amazon, historical data shows that over 90% of all deforestation occurs within a narrow corridor along highway infrastructure. While the proposed road promises enhanced trade logistics for soy exporters, environmental analysts view it as a primary driver for rapid deforestation.

- Eraí Maggi Scheffer, head of the agribusiness conglomerate Bom Futuro, met privately with Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz for two hours. - Over 90% of Amazonian deforestation historically occurs adjacent to highway routes.

[15:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=957s) Inside Rancho Dorado and the Mechanics of Agribusiness Expansion

A visit to Rancho Dorado illustrates the scale at which Brazilian agribusiness operates inside Bolivia. The property functions as an industrial community, housing 210 permanent employees and operating a private school for 60 children on site. The estate mirrors the massive agricultural operations developed in Mato Grosso, Brazil, where the Maggi family accumulated immense wealth while overseeing some of the highest deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon.

Investigative reports reveal that Maggi’s agribusiness empire, Bom Futuro, put down a financial deposit to acquire a pristine, 30,000-hectare forested property known as the INPA estate. When questioned about the transaction, a corporate spokesperson initially denied Maggi’s involvement in Bolivia, before later conceding that "a partner of Bom Futuro might have bought something in Bolivia" before abruptly ending communication.

- Rancho Dorado employs 210 residents on-site and maintains an internal school with 60 enrolled students. - Bom Futuro allegedly placed a deposit on a pristine 30,000-hectare forested plot in the Chiquitania region.

[21:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1275s) Indigenous Perspectives with the Chiquitano Cabildo

In San Ignacio, the reporting team meets with the Cabildo, the traditional indigenous governing council of the Chiquitano people. Antonio, the Cacique General (General Chief) of the Chiquitanos, shares his perspective on how industrial agribusiness is altering their ancestral territory and cultural traditions.

Antonio expresses mixed feelings about the rapid changes. While acknowledging that big commercial farms provide needed employment opportunities for local indigenous laborers, he voices deep concern over systemic land grabbing and territorial loss. Industrial farms are encroaching on traditional boundaries, leading to escalating land conflicts between agribusiness entities and native Chiquitano communities.

- The Cabildo serves as the historic governing body representing the Chiquitano indigenous population. - Cacique General Antonio reported increasing land disputes resulting from commercial farm expansion into traditional territories.

[24:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1484s) Aerial Overlook: The Border Divide and the 30,000-Hectare Target

An aerial survey over San Ignacio de Velasco—a municipality roughly the size of Denmark—reveals the extent of land transformation. Areas that were dense, continuous rainforest twenty years ago are now cleared fields. Flying directly along the international border illustrates the contrast in land management: on the Brazilian side, the forest has been entirely cleared for cattle pasture; on the Bolivian side, the lush canopy of the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park remains intact.

The flight also passes over the 30,000-hectare INPA estate, a forested tract currently owned by a Dutch-Bolivian timber enterprise that practices managed logging. Equal in size to five Manhattans, this property represents the last remaining contiguous block of native forest in the local area. It is this exact tract that Eraí Maggi seeks to acquire and convert into intensive soybean production.

- San Ignacio de Velasco covers a geographic area roughly equivalent in size to Denmark. - The 30,000-hectare INPA property represents a forest block equivalent to five times the size of Manhattan. - Noel Kempff Mercado National Park remains the largest preserved protected area in the immediate border region.

[28:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1699s) La Paz Investigation: Legal Loopholes and Regulatory Capture

In La Paz, Bolivia’s political capital, Fabiano meets with investigative journalist Stasiek Czaplicki, who first broke the story regarding Maggi’s attempt to acquire the INPA estate. Czaplicki details how structural legal loopholes enable foreign investors to bypass statutory land limits. Although the Bolivian Constitution restricts individual land ownership to 5,000 hectares and prohibits direct foreign land acquisition along borders, investors routinely circumvent these rules by registering properties under corporate entities.

Furthermore, statutory penalties for illegal deforestation fail to act as a deterrent. Fines for unauthorized clearing on a 30,000-hectare parcel top out at approximately $1 million, whereas the cleared land itself is valued at over $20 million on the commercial market—rendering administrative penalties a minor operational cost. Regulatory capture further accelerates this trend: Bolivia's Minister of Development Planning, Fernando Romero Pinto (who took over environmental policy after President Paz dissolved the Ministry of Environment), spent 25 years as a prominent soy industry executive, while the former Minister of Environment previously led the soy producers' association, ANAPO.

- Fines for illegal deforestation are capped around $1 million, compared to a post-clearing property valuation exceeding $20 million. - The Bolivian Constitution limits individual landholdings to 5,000 hectares, a restriction routinely bypassed via corporate structures. - Fernando Romero Pinto, a veteran soy industry leader of 25 years, was appointed Minister of Development Planning overseeing environmental policy.

[33:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2032s) The São Paulo Business Forum and Exporting Deforestation

At the Brazil-Bolivia Business Forum in São Paulo, government officials and corporate executives gather to formalize cross-border economic initiatives. Despite public statements framing the partnership around "land sparing" and sustainable yield intensification, the concrete commitments made at the forum center on major infrastructure expansion.

Brazilian officials formally backed bi-national infrastructure commitments, including new highway corridors and a major river bridge physically connecting Brazilian production zones to Bolivian land. Critics point out that infrastructure expansion in tropical forests consistently follows a set pattern: road construction is invariably followed by widespread clear-cutting, effectively exporting Brazil's historic model of agricultural expansion into the Bolivian Amazon.

- The São Paulo forum confirmed formal Brazilian state backing for cross-border highways and a new international river bridge. - Public rhetoric centered on land sparing, while policy commitments focused on physical infrastructure into forested zones.

[39:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2354s) Facing the Maggi Empire and the Aftermath in Bolivia

While Eraí Maggi declined on-camera interviews with Bloomberg, his brother Fernando spoke with reporters, and Eraí publicly addressed attendees at the São Paulo forum. For the first time, Maggi publicly acknowledged acquiring land in Bolivia, stating his intent to replicate the Mato Grosso development model to maximize agricultural output and generate economic growth.

Following the investigation, the Bolivian government confirmed the planned infrastructure projects. President Paz subsequently enacted legislation designed to consolidate small agricultural parcels into medium-sized holdings. The law sparked intense resistance from indigenous groups and peasant organizations, who argued it facilitated private land seizures. Widespread street protests featuring tear gas and firecrackers in La Paz ultimately forced the administration to repeal the law. Nonetheless, recent data from Global Forest Watch confirms that as forest loss slows in Brazil, deforestation in Bolivia continues to climb, bringing the Amazon closer to a critical ecological tipping point predicted for the 2030s.

- Eraí Maggi publicly confirmed his acquisition of Bolivian land at the São Paulo Business Forum. - Mass public protests in La Paz forced President Rodrigo Paz to repeal legislation that enabled the consolidation and conversion of small landholdings. - Global Forest Watch data confirms an inverse trend: declining Amazonian deforestation in Brazil alongside rising forest loss in Bolivia.

## Notable quotes > [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=15s) the supermarket of the world

> [15:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=957s) a partner of Bom Futuro might have bought something in Bolivia — Bom Futuro spokesperson

> [14:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=854s) new era — Eraí Maggi Scheffer

## Mentioned Bloomberg Originals, Bloomberg Investigates, Fabiano Maisonnave, San Ignacio de Velasco, Rodrigo Paz, Chiquitano, Eraí Maggi Scheffer, King of Soybean, Rancho Dorado, Bom Futuro, INPA estate, Cabildo, Antonio, Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, La Paz, Stasiek Czaplicki, Fernando Romero Pinto, ANAPO, São Paulo Business Forum, Fernando Maggi, Global Forest Watch

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4)

中文简报

毁林转移之际巴西大豆巨头向玻利维亚扩张巴西严格的环境执法正在将非法毁林推向邻国玻利维亚；在当地，巴西农业企业利用法律漏洞和政治支持砍伐亚马逊雨林。尽管巴西通过严格执法在2025年将热带雨林损失减少了41%，但工业化农业企业已将作业转移到了玻利维亚的San Ignacio de Velasco。在Eraí Maggi Scheffer等大豆巨头的带领下，并在玻利维亚总统Rodrigo Paz推行的新基础设施计划支持下，诸如占地3万公顷的INPA庄园等大片原始森林面临砍伐。尽管遭到当地Chiquitano原住民社区的激烈抵抗以及拉巴斯市民的抗议，但法律漏洞、监管俘获和针对违规砍伐的低额罚款依然助长了这种迅速的土地性质转变。Global Forest Watch的数据证实了一种反向趋势：随着巴西森林流失放缓，玻利维亚的亚马逊毁林面积却持续攀升，正逼近关键临界点。巴西通过严格执法将热带雨林损失减少了41%，但农业需求正将毁林行为跨境转移至玻利维亚。 (0:15) 在巴西大豆生产商和肉牛养殖户大量涌入的推动下，San Ignacio de Velasco已成为玻利维亚森林流失的主要热点地区。 (1:43) 玻利维亚总统Rodrigo Paz的当选结束了近二十年的左翼执政，促使国家政策转向激进的农业扩张。 (4:30) 大豆是玻利维亚主要的农产品出口物资，75%的收成被加工并作为牲畜饲料出口。 (6:34) 巴西农业企业领袖、巴西农业部长与玻利维亚内阁部长举行了一次保密会议，重点探讨了跨境基础设施与农业扩张问题。 (6:34)

Reading summary

As Brazil's domestic rainforest loss dropped 41% in 2025 under strict regulatory enforcement, Brazilian agribusiness has increasingly shifted production into neighboring Bolivia. Investigative evidence reveals that this cross-border migration threatens to undo regional conservation gains by exploiting weak local regulations, bi-national infrastructure corridors, and industry-friendly governance. Cross-Border Deforestation and the Leakage Paradox (1:43) While global tropical rainforest loss dropped by one-third and Brazil achieved a 41% decline in deforestation in 2025, commodity demand has fueled a rapid cross-border displacement of forest clearing. Brazil has championed "land sparing"—maximizing agricultural yields on existing acreage to protect remaining native vegetation. However, environmental critics argue the approach has failed to curb total destruction, merely displacing agribusiness into Bolivian frontiers like San Ignacio de Velasco, where regulatory oversight is significantly weaker. Bolivia's political transition under centrist President Rodrigo Paz has accelerated this shift, breaking nearly two decades of leftist governance with explicit policies favoring agricultural expansion. Because the Amazon regulates global climate systems and houses roughly 16,000 identified tree species, shifting forest loss across national borders poses an equivalent systemic risk to the biome as a whole. Corporate Agribusiness and Proposed Transport Corridors (14:14) Brazilian agricultural conglomerates are spearheading the push into the Bolivian Amazon, led by figures like Eraí Maggi Scheffer, the head of Bom Futuro known as the "King of Soybean." Maggi, who met privately with President Paz, publicly declared a desire to replicate Brazil's Mato Grosso agro-industrial model in Bolivia. His company allegedly placed a financial deposit on the 30,000-hectare INPA forest estate—a tract roughly five times the size of Manhattan representing the area's last contiguous native forest block. To facilitate cross-border trade, Brazilian producers and state officials are heavily backing infrastructure initiatives formalized at bilateral forums, including a new international river bridge and a paved highway through the forest. Historically, more than 90% of Amazonian deforestation takes place adjacent to highway corridors, making transport development a primary catalyst for rapid forest clearing. Regulatory Loopholes and Industry-Led Governance (28:19) Foreign investment in Bolivian land circumvents statutory barriers through legal loopholes. While the Bolivian Constitution restricts individual ownership to 5,000 hectares and bars foreign land purchases near international borders, commercial operations routinely bypass these limits by registering properties under corporate entities. Furthermore, administrative penalties for illegal clearing fail as deterrents: fines for unauthorized deforestation on a 30,000-hectare tract are capped around $1 million, whereas cleared land carries a market value exceeding $20 million. This dynamic is compounded by regulatory capture. After President Paz dissolved the Ministry of Environment, oversight fell under Minister of Development Planning Fernando Romero Pinto, a 25-year soy industry veteran, while the former environment minister previously led the national soy producers' association, ANAPO. Indigenous Resistance and Political Repercussions (21:15) The expansion directly impacts the ancestral lands of the indigenous Chiquitano people. Antonio, the Cacique General of the Chiquitano Cabildo, reported that while large industrial operations generate farm labor, they are driving systemic land conflicts and territory loss. Encroachment onto indigenous boundaries has fueled rising social tension across the municipality of San Ignacio de Velasco. Public pushback escalated significantly after President Paz introduced legislation enabling the consolidation of small agricultural plots into medium commercial holdings. Mass street protests led by indigenous and peasant groups in La Paz forced the administration to repeal the law. Nonetheless, Global Forest Watch data confirms an inverse trend: even as Brazil curtails forest clearing, deforestation in Bolivia continues to climb toward a projected 2030s tipping point. Although public resistance successfully forced the repeal of Bolivia's land consolidation law, structural drivers—such as negligible environmental fines, corporate ownership loopholes, and bilateral infrastructure commitments—remain firmly in place. The core unresolved question is whether international climate diplomacy can address deforestation leakage before displaced agribusiness operations push the wider Amazon biome past its ecological tipping point.

精炼阅读摘要

彭博原创（Bloomberg Originals）的调查显示，随着巴西加大国内环境执法力度使本国热带雨林损失大幅下降，大型农业企业正将毁林压力外溢至监管薄弱的邻国玻利维亚，从而对整个亚马逊流域的生态系统构成跨境威胁。巴西执法收紧与毁林压力跨境转移 (0:15) 在联合国气候大会于巴西亚马逊腹地召开之际，巴西向全球展示了其环保治理成果：得益于严格的执法监管，2025年该国热带雨林损失量下降了41%，带动全球热带雨林流失减少了三分之一。巴西官方极力倡导“节约用地”（land sparing）策略，主张通过提高现有农田单产来保护剩余森林。然而，国际大宗商品需求与农业巨头的扩张诉求并未削退，其破坏性开发模式正在跨越边境外溢。圣伊格纳西奥与大豆扩张前沿 (1:43) 记者法比亚诺·梅索纳韦（Fabiano Maisonnave）实地探访玻利维亚圣克鲁斯省的圣伊格纳西奥德韦拉斯科（San Ignacio de Velasco），该地已成为玻利维亚森林流失最严重的聚集点。大豆是玻利维亚首要农产品出口物，其中75%被加工为动物饲料，驱动了机械化单一作物的清空式扩张。这片面积堪比丹麦的区域是奇基塔诺（Chiquitano）原住民的祖居地，其传统农林混作模式正被巴西资本的大规模工业化农场侵蚀，导致森林未记录物种的生物多样性丧失，并引发日益激烈的土地权属纠纷。政治转型与大豆巨头的资本渗透 (4:30) 玻利维亚政局在中右翼总统罗德里戈·帕斯（Rodrigo Paz）胜选后发生剧变，结束了近二十年的左翼执政，政策转向大力扩张农业。被誉为“大豆之王”的巴西农业巨头邦富图罗（Bom Futuro）掌门人埃拉伊·马吉·谢弗（Eraí Maggi Scheffer）在与帕斯总统长谈两小时后，公开宣称玻利维亚进入“新时代”。调查披露，邦富图罗已支付定金意图收购面积达30,000公顷的原生林地INPA庄园（相当于5个曼哈顿大小），计划复制巴西马托格罗索州的规模化种植模式；此前其代表在秘密部长级闭门会晤中极力推动跨境扩张。法律漏洞与监管俘获加速森林清理 (28:19) 玻利维亚宪法明确规定个人土地所有权上限为5,000公顷，并禁止外资在边境直接购地，但调查记者斯塔西克·恰普利茨基（Stasiek Czaplicki）指出，跨国投资者惯常通过注册本土公司法人实体轻松规避限制。此外，现行法规对非法毁林的惩罚上限仅约100万美元，而土地清理转为农田后的商业估值超过2,000万美元，微薄罚款沦为开发成本。在帕斯总统撤销环境部后，接管环保政策的发展规划部部长费尔南多·罗梅罗·平托（Fernando Romero Pinto）曾是大豆行业资深高管达25年，关键监管岗位被行业利益所渗透。基建绑定与跨境生态临界点风险 (33:52) 在圣保罗举行的巴西-玻利维亚商业论坛上，尽管口头修辞强调可持续集约化，但双边实质协议聚焦于修建跨国公路与界河大桥，以直接连接巴西产区与玻利维亚林地。历史数据显示亚马逊地区超过90%的毁林发生在公路沿线走廊。尽管玻利维亚民众随后爆发抗议迫使帕斯政府废除了便利土地兼并的新法案，但全球森林观察（Global Forest Watch）数据显示，玻利维亚林木损耗正逆势上升，持续将涵盖16,000种树种的亚马逊生物群系推向科学界预警将在2030年代到来的生态崩溃临界点。该节目表明，单纯依靠一国收紧环保执法并不能从根本上保护亚马逊雨林，反噬效应会通过资本与跨国基建将生态破坏转移至监管薄弱的邻国。只要全球大宗农产品需求与土地经济暴利未减，缺乏跨境协同的区域保护将无法阻止整体生态系统走向不可逆的退化临界点。

Detailed notes — zh

## Background 本视频由彭博原创（Bloomberg Originals）于 2026 年 8 月 13 日发布在 YouTube 平台上。视频简介指出，尽管巴西通过强化执法大幅降低了本土的亚马逊雨林砍伐率，但生态危机并未真正消除，而是跨境转移到了监管薄弱的玻利维亚，本片通过深入调查揭露了一场可能重塑雨林未来的闭门交易所带来的连锁反应。 ## TL;DR 调查揭示了巴西在严格执法导致本土森林砍伐率下降 41% 之后，庞大的农业资本迅速向玻利维亚边境小镇圣伊格纳西奥外溢的严峻现实。以“大豆之王”埃莱·马吉（Eraí Maggi）为代表的巴西农业寡头，利用法律漏洞在玻利维亚设立空壳公司规避外资持地禁令，企图吞并紧邻国家公园的三万公顷原始雨林。两国政商高层打着“土地节约”与互联互通的旗号推进跨境公路和大桥建设，实质上是将巴西成熟的毁林扩张模式直接出口到玻利维亚。尽管玻利维亚民众与原住民在拉巴斯发起激烈抗议并迫使政府撤回争议土地法案，但微弱的违法罚款与失控的境外开发正将整个亚马逊生态加速推向不可逆的崩溃临界点。 ## Atmosphere & style 全片充斥着深度调查报道特有的紧迫、冷峻与窒息感。镜头在圣保罗高规格商业论坛的光鲜辞令、边境上空俯瞰雨林被大豆田齐整蚕食的苍凉航拍，以及拉巴斯街头浓烟与催泪瓦斯弥漫的抗议冲突之间来回切换。记者层层逼问寡头与官员时的尴尬沉默，同原住民面临家园被夺的深沉忧虑形成尖锐对照，令观者清晰感受到生态保护叙事背后的虚伪算计与亚马逊雨林步步走向深渊的绝望宿命。 ## Bulletin - [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=15s) 巴西国内收紧雨林执法使2025年森林砍伐率骤降41%，但庞大的全球农产品需求迫使农业资本越过边境，将毁林压力外溢至玻利维亚边境重镇圣伊格纳西奥。 - [27:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1639s) 巴西“大豆之王”埃莱·马吉（Eraí Maggi）旗下资本已通过设立本地壳公司等手段规避宪法限制，计划收购玻利维亚面积达30,000公顷（相当于五个曼哈顿）的INPA原始雨林庄园用于大豆种植。 - [28:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1699s) 玻利维亚针对非法毁林的法定最高罚款仅约100万美元，与其超过2000万美元的林地市值相比微不足道，被跨国投机资本直接视为常规“行政成本”。 - [34:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2088s) 巴西政府已正式批准并出资支持修建直通玻利维亚圣伊格纳西奥的跨国公路与大桥；历史数据显示亚马逊超90%的毁林发生在公路沿线，该工程恐加速雨林走向不可逆生态临界点。 ## Key takeaways - [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=15s) 巴西在享受“挽救雨林”国际赞誉的同时，国内农业资本正借助“土地节约论”的叙事漏洞，将毁林模式向周边监管薄弱的国家外包转移。 - [01:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=103s) 位于巴玻边境的圣伊格纳西奥·德韦拉斯科因承接外溢的工业化大豆农业扩张，已迅速演变为玻利维亚森林砍伐率最高的重灾区。 - [06:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=394s) 玻利维亚大豆产量的四分之三直接用于动物饲料出口，大豆产业的迅猛扩张成为该国大片原始森林遭到连根拔起的首要推手。 - [06:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=394s) 两国政要与巴西农业巨头在边境农场展开闭门协商，密谋推动跨国公路与农业投资，决定了未公开政策导向与雨林未来的命运。 - [14:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=854s) 巴西大豆寡头埃莱·马吉及其旗下企业 Bom Futuro 正试图将马托格罗索州的雨林开垦模式照搬至玻利维亚，打造全新的农业超级基地。 - [21:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1275s) 大型跨国农业公司的激进圈地正在蚕食奇基塔诺原住民世代繁衍的土地，并引发日益加剧的土地权属冲突与社区生存危机。 - [21:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1275s) 巴玻边境空中勘察显示出冰火两重天的景象：巴西一侧原始雨林已全数沦为规整牧草地，而玻利维亚一侧紧邻保护区的残存原始林地也正面临工业推土机的威胁。 - [28:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1699s) 玻利维亚宪法对外资持地及5000公顷上限设有明确禁令，但跨国农业资本通过在当地设立空壳傀儡公司轻易绕开监管红线。 - [28:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1699s) 现行法律惩治力度严重倒挂，100万美元的顶格毁林罚款相对两千万美元的土地开发收益毫无威慑力，反而助长了资本的非法开垦行径。 - [30:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1850s) 玻利维亚新政权将环境部管辖权整体移交给由前大豆行业高管领衔的发展规划部，导致监管者与利益集团彻底合流，形成自毁式决策闭环。 - [34:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2088s) 亚马逊盆地数十年的开发史反复证明“路通则林毁”，巴西出资支持的跨国干线公路与大桥本质上是毁林出口模式的制度化输出。 - [39:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2354s) 玻利维亚执政当局试图通过立法整合土地以便利资本圈地，引发原住民与底层农民在拉巴斯爆发激烈街头抗争，最终迫使法案流产。 - [39:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2354s) 卫星监测数据证实玻利维亚林地正在不可逆地锐减，跨境毁林的外溢效应或在2030年代前将整个亚马逊雨林生态系统推向彻底崩溃的不可逆临界点。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=15s) 巴西的环保悖论与农业资本外溢全球气候持续变暖，碳排放依然在上升，国际社会对采取实际行动的呼声愈发强烈。在这样的背景下，联合国气候变化大会历史上首次移师亚马逊雨林腹地举行。然而，数十名原住民示威者在周五清晨堵住了巴西会场的入口，将雨林与原住民权益推向风口浪尖的同时，也揭开了东道国最深刻的内在矛盾。在过去的40年里，巴西通过砍伐森林开拓土地，将自己打造成了“世界超市”和全球最庞大的农业经济体之一，其大豆、牛肉和玉米产业极度依赖土地开垦。与此同时，巴西又被西方舆论誉为生态保护的标杆——仅在2025年，巴西国内的森林砍伐面积就大幅骤降了41%，热带雨林流失面积相比前一年减少了三分之一。但这两种叙事能否同时成立？全球市场对农产品的饥渴并未消退，依靠土地获利的农业寡头也没有收手。随着巴西国内执法力度的收紧，农业资本开始越过国境向外转移。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 巴西雨林执法与毁林压力的跨境转移 accDescr: 展示巴西严格执法导致农业资本外溢至玻利维亚边境的过程 subgraph Brazil["巴西本土环境"] A["国内严格执法与环保政策"] --> B["森林砍伐率骤降41%"] A --> C["资本寻求扩张出路"] end subgraph Strategy["土地节约论争议"] C --> D["倡导在现有耕地上最大化产出"] D --> E["高额利润驱使资本海外扩张"] end subgraph Bolivia["玻利维亚边境接盘"] E --> F["圣伊格纳西奥·德韦拉斯科 (毁林新热点)"] F --> G["大规模工业化农业扩张与土地争端"] end ``` --- ### [01:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=103s) 边境的新热点：圣伊格纳西奥记者法比亚诺·迈索纳韦（Fabiano Maisonnave）长期报道亚马逊雨林。他来到玻利维亚的经济重镇、同时也是毁林震中圣克鲁斯-德拉塞拉（Santa Cruz de la Sierra），试图解答一个核心问题：“当一个国家下大力气整治毁林时，原本的毁林压力转移去了哪里？”巴西极力推崇所谓的“土地节约论”（Land Sparing），即通过在现有农田上提升生产效率，来避免开垦新森林。但一旦走近玻利维亚边境，现实却截然相反——巴西农业核心区的扩张直接漫延到了玻利维亚的圣伊格纳西奥·德韦拉斯科（San Ignacio de Velasco），让这里沦为全新的毁林热点。批评人士指出，“土地节约论”并没有终结砍伐，只是将其搬了个地方。作为全球最大的热带雨林，亚马逊主宰着全球气候，其崩溃将是灾难性的。在圣伊格纳西奥这片奇基塔诺人（Chiquitanos）世代居住的家园，传统生存模式正被大规模工业化农业取代。更推波助澜的是政治风向的改变：中间派罗德里戈·帕斯（Rodrigo Paz）在玻利维亚总统决选中胜出，结束了近二十年的左翼执政，新政府计划大举扩大国家的农业产出。 - 玻利维亚宪法对外资拥有土地有严格的法律限制，这使得外资买地的真实数据极为隐蔽与敏感。 - 团队在当地接触巴西农业利益团体屡屡碰壁，对方普遍拒绝公开发声。 --- ### [06:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=394s) 通往圣伊格纳西奥：密室会谈的传闻沿途公路两旁的原生景观几乎已被彻底重塑，取而代之的是望不到边的大豆田。大豆是玻利维亚最大的农业出口产品，也是导致该国森林遭到砍伐的罪魁祸首，其中四分之三直接用于动物饲料。身处亚马逊盆地，眼前的原始植被却已面目全非，令人对玻利维亚未遭破坏的荒野未来感到忧心忡忡。就在团队前往调查期间，一条线索浮出水面：不久前，巴西农业部长与玻利维亚的两位部长在圣伊格纳西奥的一处农场举行了一场闭门会议，多位巴西大农场主也出席了会面。这一区域的毁林速度在玻利维亚各市镇中位居榜首，而带头的正是巴西农场主。知情人士暗中提供了主办该会议的农场经理联系方式。这场不公开的闭门协商，极有可能直接决定未来的政策走向与森林砍伐速度。 - 圣伊格纳西奥随处可见巴西商店与巴西国旗，展现出极其浓厚的巴西商业存在。 - 科学家指出，亚马逊雨林拥有约16,000种树木，还有大量物种尚未被发现，这里的毁林意味着生物多样性在被人类记载之前就已永久消失。 --- ### [14:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=854s) “大豆之王”与黄金牧场的野心通过多方联络，记者最终与承办部长级会议的巴西企业——黄金牧场（Rancho Dorado）的一名工作人员搭上线，并获悉一个重磅消息：全球最大的大豆生产商之一、“大豆之王”埃莱·马吉·舍费尔（Eraí Maggi Scheffer）亲自出席了闭门会谈。据透露，埃莱·马吉与玻利维亚新当选总统深谈了两个小时，他认为玻利维亚正迎来一个“新时代”，并计划在该区域投资。为了配合投资，他们正全力游说推动修建一条连通巴西与玻利维亚的新跨国公路。在亚马逊，超过90%的森林砍伐都发生在公路沿线，这条公路对大豆商而言是福音，对雨林保护却是噩耗。实地探访黄金牧场时，眼前的工业化规模令人震惊：农场拥有210名常驻员工，甚至配有一所容纳60名学生的私立学校，并有着大规模扩张计划。这正是马吉家族在巴西马托格罗索州发迹模式的翻版——将雨林改造为农业超级基地，代价则是极高的毁林率。 - 媒体报道透露，埃莱·马吉旗下的农业帝国“美好未来”（Bom Futuro）已支付定金，意图买下附近一处面积达30,000公顷的原生森林地块。 - 记者致电 Bom Futuro 求证时，对方发言人起初坚称“埃莱·马吉与玻利维亚没有任何关系”；随后改口承认“Bom Futuro 没买，但合伙人可能在玻利维亚买了地”；当被追问是否就是埃莱本人时，对方支吾表示“会再回复”，之后便没了音讯。 --- ### [21:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1275s) 原住民的隐忧与边境俯瞰周日清晨，团队拜访了圣伊格纳西奥的传统自治权力机构 Cabildo，与奇基塔诺人的总酋长安东尼奥（Antonio）面对面交流。安东尼奥神情复杂地表示，大型农场的到来确实为原住民提供了一些务工机会，但社区却在不断失去世代繁衍的土地。大型跨国农场大肆抢占地盘，已经与多个奇基塔诺原住民社区爆发了领土冲突。在圣伊格纳西奥的最后一天，团队包租了一架小型飞机进行空中勘察，从高空俯瞰埃莱·马吉与 Bom Futuro 集团计划收购的那处30,000公顷土地。从空中望去，面积堪比丹麦的圣伊格纳西奥在短短20年间已被农田和豆海彻底侵蚀。飞机沿着巴玻边境线飞行，机载屏幕上清晰标出两国的分界：右侧的巴西境内，原始雨林早已消失殆尽，几乎全变成了规整的牧草地；而左侧玻利维亚境内这片30,000公顷的森林，已是那片区域残存的最后一块原始林带，如今正被推向工业农业扩张的风口浪尖。 ### [27:04](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1624s) 俯瞰保护区边界：国家公园与“五个曼哈顿”的雨林危机机舱窗外的视野被一条清晰的人造分界线割裂开来。左侧是一望无际、浓密苍翠的原始林海，那是著名的诺埃尔·肯普夫·梅尔卡多国家公园（Noel Kempff Mercado National Park）。作为该区域面积最大、保护最严密的亚马逊生态屏障，它在大豆种植园与养牛场步步蚕食的包围网中孤立坚守。人类在地图上勾勒的冰冷线条，彻底改写了两侧森林截然不同的命运。飞机的另一侧正掠过属于荷玻合资林业企业 INPA 的私有林地。长期以来，该公司一直将其用于低强度的可持续经营采伐（managed logging），因此整片林冠层依旧保持着近乎原始的完好风貌。然而，这片面积相当于整整五个曼哈顿的原始雨林正处于风口浪尖——被公认为巴西“大豆之王”（King of Soybean）的农业寡头埃拉伊·马吉（Eraí Maggi）正积极洽购这处地产。一旦交易达成，这片相当于五个曼哈顿体量的古老雨林，极可能在轰鸣的推土机下迅速蜕变为五个曼哈顿大小的大豆种植园。 ### [28:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1699s) 探访拉巴斯：法律漏洞与两千万美元林地的“违规成本” 摄制组降落在世界上海拔最高的政治首都拉巴斯。相较于作为玻利维亚经济引擎与农牧业核心的圣克鲁斯，拉巴斯承载着决定土地命脉的政策角力。记者在此拜访了最先揭发马吉集团收购 INPA 庄园内幕的当地调查记者兼研究员斯塔西克·夏普利茨基（Stasiek Czaplicki），试图揭开这项巨额交易背后的法律虚实与跨国资本运作路径。夏普利茨基指着地图直言，INPA 庄园坐拥三万公顷已矗立数千年的天然原始雨林，是无数物种赖以繁衍的避难所，更在维系区域降水与气候循环中扮演关键角色；森林一旦被连根拔起，随之而来的便是更加肆虐的干旱与不可控的森林野火。谈及外资购地的合规性，他剖析了玻利维亚名存实亡的监管框架：依据宪法，私人持地面积上限为 5000 公顷，且严格禁止外籍人士直接购地。但逐利的跨国巨头轻而易举便能规避红线——他们只需在当地注册傀儡企业，以法人实体的名义完成交易，“买地的便不再是外国个人，而是本土注册的公司”。更令人触目惊心的是违法的微弱代价。夏普利茨基指出，即便大豆生产商在这片三万公顷的土地上进行赤裸裸的非法砍伐，面临的法定罚款顶格也不过 100 万美元左右；而这块林地的市场估值已远超 2000 万美元。“区区一百万罚款在他们眼里根本不是威慑，不过是一笔微不足道的‘行政成本’罢了。”夏普利茨基愤慨地表示，玻利维亚正沦为跨国投机者的“狂野西部”，充斥着肆无忌惮的非法土地贩卖。来自巴西的资本狂徒如同无法无天的牛仔，而玻利维亚与巴西的政策制定者如今甚至公然携手，共谋如何将推土机开进玻利维亚的森林深处。 - **三万公顷原始生态资产**：INPA 庄园占地约 30,000 公顷，是维持当地微气候、防止干旱与野火的天然屏障。 - **失衡的惩罚机制**：地块市值逾 2000 万美元，非法毁林顶格罚款仅约 100 万美元，违法成本被资本直接折算为常规运营开支。 - **监管绕道手段**：通过设立当地空壳公司规避宪法关于外国人不得持地及 5,000 公顷上限的禁令。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 跨境毁林转移与监管套利机制 accDescr: 流程图展示巴西强化执法后，农业资本如何通过设立公司与利用微弱罚款在玻利维亚扩张毁林 subgraph Brazil ["巴西本土"] B1["加强雨林执法 / 严格限制伐林"] --> B2["资本寻求外部扩张空间"] end subgraph Transfer ["资本跨境渗透"] B2 --> T1["绕过外资禁令 在玻设立壳公司收购林地"] T1 --> T2["盯上低成本资产 如 3 万公顷 INPA 庄园"] end subgraph Bolivia ["玻利维亚落地"] T2 --> L1["违法成本低廉 罚款仅 100 万 vs 市值 2000 万"] L1 --> L2["推平原始森林 扩张大豆单一作物种植"] L2 --> L3["加剧旱灾与火灾 威胁邻近国家公园"] end ``` ### [30:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1850s) 利益勾连与历史轮回：圣伊格纳西奥的开发死局在深入追查跨国资本动向时，政商一体的利益网络逐渐浮出水面。夏普利茨基直言，玻利维亚此前的环境部长曾是大豆生产者协会（ANAPO）的掌门人；随着总统罗德里戈·帕斯（Rodrigo Paz）撤销独立的环境部，环境政策管辖权被整体移交给了发展规划部，而新任部长费尔南多·罗梅罗·平托（Fernando Romero Pinto）在履职前在大豆行业担任了超过 25 年的高管与领袖。监管者与被监管者的角色彻底混同，“这完全是一套配齐所有灾难要素的完美自毁药方”（recipe for the perfect disaster）。当记者试图向玻利维亚官方求证这一系列跨国投资时，却发现关键内阁官员早已悉数飞抵巴西，紧锣密鼓地参加一场关于跨境基础设施与农牧投资的双边闭门磋商。这清晰地映照出亚马逊雨林百年来反复上演的冷酷发展轮回：外部势力强行介入，政府打着繁荣旗号大兴土木、修筑公路；外来投机者闻风而动圈占土地；原住民与地方社区发起无力的抵抗；官方抛出提供短期就业的许诺，最终留下的却是不可逆的猖獗毁林。如今，这场生态宿命的齿轮已然咬合在了圣伊格纳西奥（San Ignacio）的土地上。 ### [34:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2088s) 圣保罗商业论坛：“土地节约”话术与基建扩张蓝图在巴西圣保罗举行的双边商业论坛现场人头攒动、座无虚席。镁光灯下，两国政要与农业巨头反复兜售着光鲜的“土地节约”（land sparing）叙事——宣称只要在现有耕地上大幅提高集约化生产效率，就能自然而然地将原始森林“节约”下来。然而，这套理论根本无法解释残酷的现实悖论：为何在巴西高调宣布本国雨林砍伐率骤降的同时，边境另一侧的玻利维亚雨林毁灭速率却在以惊人的斜率直线攀升？随着最后一轮闭门磋商结束，官方正式背书的开发规模被公之于众，其激进程度远超外界最初的预估。巴西政府已正式批准并出资支持一项跨国基建工程，计划修建贯穿边境的干线公路以及一座连接两国的跨河大桥，直指圣伊格纳西奥腹地。 “每当一条公路被修进密林，森林就会随之彻底消失”（Every time a road goes in, the forest comes out）。这绝非环保主义者的危言耸听，而是数十年来整个亚马逊盆地颠扑不破的血腥铁律。巴西在本土经过数十年反复淬炼的道路开拓与农业扩张模板，如今被冠以“区域互联互通基础设施”的华丽外衣，本质上却是将一整套成熟的“毁林出口模式”（deforestation model exported）完整移植到了玻利维亚脆弱的雨林边境。 ### [39:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2354s) 寡头承认购地：生态临界点逼近与拉巴斯街头的怒火尽管埃拉伊·马吉本人拒绝接受彭博新闻社的正式专访，但其兄弟费尔南多（Fernando）在论坛间隙与记者进行了交谈。更具决定性的是，埃拉伊·马吉在论坛公开演讲中，破天荒地首次证实了马吉集团已在玻利维亚购置大量土地。马吉家族直言不讳地宣称，他们意图将巴西马托格罗索州（Mato Grosso）的奇迹原封不动地复制到玻利维亚，通过“最大限度扩张农业生产来创造财富并提振玻利维亚的经济状况”。然而，熟悉亚马逊发展史的人心知肚明，马托格罗索州繁荣的大豆神话是以整片原始生态系统的彻底剃头为代价换来的；如今这套残酷的剧本正在玻利维亚土地上原样重演。调查报道刊播后，圣伊格纳西奥公路等超级工程的推进在玻利维亚政坛引发了剧烈震荡。政府曾试图强推一项旨在将分散小农土地整合成中型规模农场的法令，原住民领袖与底层农民群起反对，怒斥该法案实质上是为私营资本巧取豪夺原住民世代栖息的土地大开绿灯。汹涌的民愤迅速演变为大规模街头运动，抗议者与警察在首都拉巴斯激烈冲突，烟花与催泪瓦斯弥漫街头，最终迫使执政当局在一片抗议声中被迫撤回了该项土地法案。然而，边境森林的消亡步伐并未因此停歇。“全球森林观察”（Global Forest Watch）最新公布的权威卫星监测数据彻底印证了调查结论：当巴西沉浸在“拯救本土雨林”的国际赞誉中时，玻利维亚的亚马逊雨林正在以不可逆的速度灰飞烟灭。全球气候与生态科学家们发出严厉预警，跨境毁林的转移与失控极可能在 2030 年代前将整个亚马逊盆地推向全面退化的不可逆“临界点”（tipping point）。人类在保护与毁灭的虚伪平衡中，或许已经走到了无法回头的悬崖边缘。 ## Notable quotes > [01:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=103s) 当一个国家下大力气整治毁林时，原本的毁林压力转移去了哪里？ — 法比亚诺·迈索纳韦 (Fabiano Maisonnave) > [14:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=854s) 埃莱·马吉与玻利维亚没有任何关系 — Bom Futuro 发言人 > [14:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=854s) Bom Futuro 没买，但合伙人可能在玻利维亚买了地 — Bom Futuro 发言人 > [28:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1699s) 买地的便不再是外国个人，而是本土注册的公司 — 斯塔西克·夏普利茨基 (Stasiek Czaplicki) > [28:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1699s) 区区一百万罚款在他们眼里根本不是威慑，不过是一笔微不足道的‘行政成本’罢了。 — 斯塔西克·夏普利茨基 (Stasiek Czaplicki) > [30:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=1850s) 这完全是一套配齐所有灾难要素的完美自毁药方 — 斯塔西克·夏普利茨基 (Stasiek Czaplicki) > [34:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2088s) Every time a road goes in, the forest comes out > [39:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4&t=2354s) 最大限度扩张农业生产来创造财富并提振玻利维亚的经济状况 — 埃拉伊·马吉 (Eraí Maggi) ## Mentioned 彭博新闻社 (Bloomberg News), 法比亚诺·迈索纳韦 (Fabiano Maisonnave), 埃拉伊·马吉·舍费尔 (Eraí Maggi Scheffer), 费尔南多·马吉 (Fernando Maggi), 斯塔西克·夏普利茨基 (Stasiek Czaplicki), 罗德里戈·帕斯 (Rodrigo Paz), 费尔南多·罗梅罗·平托 (Fernando Romero Pinto), 安东尼奥 (Antonio), 美好未来集团 (Bom Futuro), 黄金牧场 (Rancho Dorado), INPA, 玻利维亚大豆生产者协会 (ANAPO), 全球森林观察 (Global Forest Watch), 奇基塔诺人 (Chiquitanos), 诺埃尔·肯普夫·梅尔卡多国家公园 (Noel Kempff Mercado National Park), 圣伊格纳西奥·德韦拉斯科 (San Ignacio de Velasco), 圣克鲁斯-德拉塞拉 (Santa Cruz de la Sierra), 拉巴斯 (La Paz), 马托格罗索州 (Mato Grosso) ## Video description Brazil sharply cut its Amazon deforestation rates through tougher enforcement. But the crisis may not have stopped so much as moved. Bloomberg Investigates explores the potential consequences of a closed-door deal that could reshape the rainforest’s future and the Bolivian frontier where environmentalists warn the next crisis is quietly unfolding. How Saving Brazil’s Rainforest Pushed the Crisis Into Bolivia: https://bloom.bg/4bF2xdN Destruction of the Amazon has declined dramatically in Brazil thanks to stepped-up enforcement. Across the border in Bolivia, it’s rampant. #Bolivia #Amazon #Brazil -------- Like this video? Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/Bloomberg?sub_confirmation=1 Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com for just $1.99 your first month: https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions?in_source=YoutubeOriginals Bloomberg Originals offers bold takes for curious minds on today’s biggest topics. Hosted by experts covering stories you haven’t seen and viewpoints you haven’t heard, you’ll discover cinematic, data-led shows that investigate the intersection of business and culture. Exploring every angle of climate change, technology, finance, sports and beyond, Bloomberg Originals is business as you’ve never seen it. Subscribe for business news, but not as you've known it: exclusive interviews, fascinating profiles, data-driven analysis, and the latest in tech innovation from around the world. Visit our partner channel Bloomberg News for global news and insight in an instant. [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHH-DkhTJW4)

Source quotes

[1:43] 法比亚诺·迈索纳韦 (Fabiano Maisonnave): 当一个国家下大力气整治毁林时，原本的毁林压力转移去了哪里？ [14:14] Bom Futuro 发言人: 埃莱·马吉与玻利维亚没有任何关系 [14:14] Bom Futuro 发言人: Bom Futuro 没买，但合伙人可能在玻利维亚买了地 [28:19] 斯塔西克·夏普利茨基 (Stasiek Czaplicki): 买地的便不再是外国个人，而是本土注册的公司 [28:19] 斯塔西克·夏普利茨基 (Stasiek Czaplicki): 区区一百万罚款在他们眼里根本不是威慑，不过是一笔微不足道的‘行政成本’罢了。 [30:50] 斯塔西克·夏普利茨基 (Stasiek Czaplicki): 这完全是一套配齐所有灾难要素的完美自毁药方 [34:48] Every time a road goes in, the forest comes out [39:14] 埃拉伊·马吉 (Eraí Maggi): 最大限度扩张农业生产来创造财富并提振玻利维亚的经济状况

Source quotes

[0:15] the supermarket of the world [15:57] Bom Futuro spokesperson: a partner of Bom Futuro might have bought something in Bolivia [14:14] Eraí Maggi Scheffer: new era

Original transcript

[0:15] The world is still warming. [0:18] Global emissions still rising. [0:22] People are demanding action. [0:26] - For the first time ever, [0:28] the UN climate talks were held in the Amazon. [0:31] - Dozens of indigenous protestors blocked an entrance [0:34] to the United Nations Climate Conference [0:36] in Brazil Friday morning. [0:38] - The rainforest and its inhabitants were [0:40] at the center of it all. [0:46] But so was the host nation's greatest contradiction. [0:50] - Brazil over the last 40 years has transformed itself [0:54] into the supermarket of the world. [0:57] - Brazil has built one of the most powerful [0:58] agricultural economies on earth. [1:00] Soybean, beef, corn. All of it depends on clearing land. [1:05] - The amount of tropical rainforest lost last [1:07] year is down by a third. [1:09] - Yet, Brazil has also been celebrated [1:11] as a conservation success story. [1:14] With forest lost dropping 41% in 2025 alone. [1:18] So can both things be true? [1:20] The demand for these commodities [1:22] hasn't gone anywhere, [1:23] and neither have the people who profit from them. [1:26] Now, with stricter law enforcement at home, [1:29] Brazilian producers appear to be on the move. [1:43] It's our first day in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, [1:45] which is Bolivia's economic powerhouse, [1:48] but also the epicenter of its deforestation. [2:01] I'm Fabiano Maisonnave. [2:03] Having spent my career reporting on the Amazon. [2:06] I've come here to ask a simple question: [2:08] When one country cracks down on deforestation, [2:11] where does that pressure go? [2:14] Brazil champions land sparing as the solution. [2:17] It's a strategy that promotes maximizing production on [2:20] existing farmland to prevent clearing new forests. [2:24] But head toward the border here, [2:26] and a different reality emerges. [2:29] Brazil's agricultural heartland [2:31] is spilling directly into [2:32] San Ignacio de Velasco, [2:34] Bolivia's newest hotspot for forest loss. [2:36] Leading critics to argue, [2:38] land sparing did not eliminate [2:40] deforestation, but simply moved it. [2:52] And the stakes are high. [2:54] The Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, [2:58] dictates the global climate. [3:01] Its downfall would be catastrophic. [3:05] We're heading to a local NGO mapping landscape changes [3:09] to understand the reality on the ground. [4:30] San Ignacio de Velasco is the ancestral homeland [4:33] of the Chiquitanos, Bolivia's indigenous people. [4:38] But the region is changing fast. [4:41] Shifting from subsistence farming [4:43] to large scale industrial agriculture, [4:46] endangering local traditions and the ecosystem. [4:49] And the pressure is building. [4:51] A new administration plans to dramatically expand [4:54] the country's agricultural outspot. [4:56] - Bolivia is poised for a major political shift [4:59] after centrist Rodrigo Paz won the country's presidential [5:03] runoff, ending nearly two decades of leftist rule. [5:31] Our next destination is San Ignacio de Velasco, [5:34] which is the city that concentrates most [5:36] of the deforestation in Bolivia. [5:40] This is an area where there's a significant [5:42] presence of Brazilian farmers. [5:49] The data on foreign investment in land in Bolivia [5:52] is a sensitive issue. [5:54] The Bolivian constitution, [5:55] they are very restrictive about foreigners [5:58] owning land in Bolivia. [6:08] It's been a challenge to find Brazilian groups [6:11] who are willing to talk to us. [6:12] So far we haven't received a yes. [6:15] I'm hoping that once we are on the ground in San Ignacio, [6:18] we'll be able to meet some of them. [6:34] The road to San Ignacio passes [6:36] through land already remade by soybeans. [6:40] This crop is Bolivia's top agricultural export [6:43] and leading driver of deforestation. [6:45] Three quarters of it goes straight to animal feed. [6:50] We are in the Amazon basin, [6:52] but the native landscape is almost unrecognizable. [6:56] It makes me wonder what lies ahead [6:58] for the untouched wilderness of Bolivia. [7:02] We came to investigate the reality of land sparing, [7:06] but we've recently learned about a closed-door meeting in [7:10] San Ignacio between Brazilian producers [7:13] and ministers from both countries. [7:15] The discussions were confidential, [7:17] but it's fair to say what was agreed could have serious [7:20] consequences for the environment. [7:22] My contact is helping us track down people [7:24] who may have attended the meeting. [7:35] Okay, so she just sent us the contact of the manager [7:40] of the farm where there was a meeting [7:43] between the Brazilian Minister of Agriculture [7:45] and two Bolivian ministers. [7:47] We're trying to find out what they discussed. [7:58] So this meeting is important for us [8:00] because the deforestation here, which is rampant [8:04] and it's the largest among Bolivian municipalities, [8:08] has been spearheaded by Brazilian ranchers. [8:12] We want to know what are the demands [8:15] of the Brazilian minister, how many [8:17] Brazilian farmers took part of of this meeting, [8:20] to understand what can happen in the region [8:25] in terms of deforestation and agriculture expansion. [8:41] We arrived this afternoon in San Ignacio, [8:44] which is a lovely town. [8:45] It has beautiful architecture. [8:50] We really feel the Brazilian influence. [8:53] We see Brazilian stores. We see Brazilian flags. [8:57] It's really a big presence here. [9:08] To understand the landscape [9:09] before the arrival of agribusiness, [9:11] we're visiting our local family. [9:25] They have championed sustainable farming for decades. [9:30] And observed the land's transformation firsthand. [13:27] To most people, the Amazon is a vast green expense on a map, [13:31] slowly turning red from deforestation. [13:34] But in reality, there are many shades of green within it. [13:38] Sciene has identified roughly 16,000 tree species here [13:43] with many more to still undiscovered. [13:46] And each region has its own unique flora and fauna. [13:51] Any loss here isn't just a loss of trees. [13:54] It's a destruction of biodiversity [13:56] before it's even been documented. [14:14] After leaving the farm, [14:16] I finally made contact with someone [14:17] who works at Rancho Dorado, the Brazilian-owned property [14:21] that hosted the ministerial talks. [14:34] I just learned that Eraí Maggi Scheffer, [14:37] one of the world's largest soybean [14:39] producers, attended the meeting. [14:46] He said that he had a meeting [14:48] with the new Bolivian president for two hours [14:50] and he thinks that Bolivia is a new era. [14:54] And he's planning to invest in Bolivia in this region. [14:58] And to do that, they are pushing for a new highway [15:01] that would connect Brazil with Bolivia. [15:04] In the Amazon, over 90% of deforestation takes place [15:10] along highways. [15:12] So this is good news probably for the soybean producers, [15:16] but this is probably bad news for environmental protection. [15:22] The scale of Maggi's ambitions here surprises me. [15:25] If true, the Brazilian billionaires investment could have [15:28] major consequences for Bolivia's Amazon region. [15:32] Tomorrow, we're going to Rancho Dorado to see for ourselves. [15:57] So this is where the meeting took place. [16:00] The Brazilian minister was here two weeks ago [16:03] with soybean producers. [17:46] Intensifying production on farms like this is exactly [17:49] what land sparring promotes, [17:52] but it also exposes a core tension. [17:55] What happens to the profits? [17:58] Companies bolstered with higher returns look [18:00] for new places to invest. [18:02] And for Brazilian farmers seeking fertile land [18:05] and favorable policies, [18:07] Bolivia is looking increasingly attractive. [18:47] Rancho Dorado is impressive. [18:56] With 210 employees living on site. [19:12] A private school with 60 students. [19:19] And significant plans for expansion. [19:21] It offers an insight into [19:23] what Brazilian investment could look like here. [19:30] Visiting Rancho Dorado, [19:32] I'm reminded of the industrial scale agriculture [19:34] I've seen in Brazil's Mato Grosso. [19:37] Maggi and his family built their fortune, helping turn [19:40] that part of the Amazon into an agricultural superpower, [19:44] which came at the cost of some [19:45] of Brazil's highest deforestation rates. [19:48] Which leaves me asking, could San Ignacio be next? [19:53] A news report offers a possible answer. [19:56] Bom Futuro Maggi's agribusiness Empire [19:59] has allegedly placed a deposit on a nearby [20:02] pristine 30,000 hectare forested plot. [20:06] An investment of this size tends to attract others. [20:12] We reached out to the company [20:13] to see if they would discuss the report. [20:20] I've been talking to Bom futuro [20:23] and that was kind of weird. [20:25] The guy said, at first, [20:27] "Oh, Erái Maggi has nothing to do with Bolivia." [20:30] And then I said, "Well, I know [20:32] that he's been in San Ignacio [20:35] and also that there are press reports that he is trying [20:39] to buy for 3,000 hectares in Chiquitania." [20:43] And then he answered me saying, [20:45] "Oh, Bom Futuro didn't buy anything, [20:50] but a partner of Bom Futuro might have bought [20:54] something in Bolivia." [20:56] And then I say, "Well, was it Erái?" [20:58] And then he said, "Well, I'll get back [21:00] to you." And so far, nothing. [21:15] It's Sunday morning, San Ignacio, [21:17] and we're meeting with the Cabildo. [21:27] The indigenous group that was originally the [21:29] region's governing body. [21:33] I want to understand how industrial agriculture is impacting [21:36] their ancestral land and centuries old traditions. [23:01] I spoke to Cacique General, Antonio, [23:07] which means he's the general chief of the Chiquitanos. [23:12] And I ask him about the changes in the region. [24:09] Antonio, he said that he's very pleased [24:13] that there is work for the Chiquitanos, [24:17] but at the same time, he's also worried [24:19] that the communities are losing their territory. [24:21] So these big farms, they are grabbing land [24:25] and they're having conflicts [24:27] with some chiquitano communities over territory. [24:31] It's a mixed feeling that he has about the region. [24:44] So this is our last day in San Ignacio. [24:47] The flight tomorrow will give us a better idea [24:50] of the exact location of this 30,000 hectare property that [24:56] Eraí Maggi from the Bom Futuro Group wants to acquire here. [25:00] Eraí Maggi is dubbed, the 'king of soybean,' [25:04] and he's a key person to understand [25:08] what might happen in the region in the coming future. [25:46] So we just took off from San Ignacio de Velasco. [25:50] From above, it's really amazing how much agriculture [25:54] and soybean has advanced in this area that [25:58] only 20 years ago was just the rainforest. [26:03] San Ignacio de Velasco is roughly the size of Denmark. [26:07] There's a lot of deforestation already [26:10] and there's more coming. [26:15] One of our reasons for the flight is to find this property [26:20] that the Maggi family is trying to purchase here in Bolivia. [26:23] It's a 30,000 hectare property, which is a very huge area. [26:28] And the satellite image shows that this is the last [26:33] remaining block of forest in that area. [26:36] So we want to fly over [26:38] and check from the airplane how it looks. [26:46] Right now, we are flying along the [26:47] Brazilian-Bolivian border. [26:49] In the airplane screen we can see the invisible line [26:53] that divides Bolivia-Brazil at this point. [26:57] In the right side, Brazil, we can see that [27:00] the forest has gone, probably to pasture. [27:04] On the left side, lush green, [27:06] this is Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. [27:09] It's really, it's really beautiful. [27:13] This line drawn by humans completely changed the fate [27:17] of the forest in this area. [27:20] Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is by far [27:23] the largest preserved area in this region of the Amazon, [27:27] where the soybean and cattle is encroaching. [27:35] So we're flying over this area that belongs to INPA, [27:38] which is a Dutch Bolivian company that uses the area [27:42] for managed logging. [27:44] So you can see that the forest is mostly preserved. [27:48] This area is the size of five Manhattans. [27:52] Maggi, who is dubbed the 'king of soybean,' [27:55] wants to buy this land. [27:56] So what he wants to do here most likely is to convert [28:00] five Manhattans of rainforest into [28:03] the five Manhattans of soybean. [28:19] So we've just landed in La Paz, [28:22] which is the world's highest capital. [28:29] Santa Cruz is the economic powerhouse of Bolivia, [28:33] and this is the political capital. [28:42] We're on our way to meet Stasiek Czaplicki, [28:45] the local journalist who first reported Maggi's acquisition [28:48] of the INPA estate we flew over yesterday. [28:51] I'm hoping he can tell us more about this alleged deal [28:54] and the legality of foreign land ownership at this scale. [29:00] - The INPA property is a green forest of 30,000 hectares, [29:05] which has been standing there for thousands of years. [29:09] It is a place for different type of species to come [29:13] and also for the ecosystem to continue working [29:16] because with deforestation you have more droughts, [29:19] therefore more forest fires around there. [29:22] The owner has been looking to sell that property. [29:26] If soy producers deforest that land illegally, [29:29] it would cost them up to $1 million. [29:32] And that piece of land is worth a bit more than 20 [29:35] million US dollars. [29:37] So it's an administrative cost. [29:39] It's not a disincentive to do those illegal things. [29:43] - Can you explain this rule about foreigners owning or not, [29:46] land in Bolivia? [29:47] How does it work? [29:48] - You can only have up to 5,000 hectares [29:53] unless you were already owner of that land [29:56] before the new constitution. [29:57] And to avoid the law that says that [29:59] foreigners cannot own land in Bolivia. [30:02] What they do is that they buy that land through a company. [30:06] It's not them buying that land, [30:08] it's the company buying that land. [30:10] Bolivia is becoming the wild west of all this region [30:15] where you have a lot of land trafficking, you have [30:19] actors from Brazil, a bit like cowboys without law, [30:22] and now you have policymakers from Brazil [30:27] joining hands with policymakers from Bolivia [30:30] and talking together about investing to deforest [30:34] more in Bolivia. [30:37] Now, our minister of environment used to be the head [30:40] of ANAPO, which is the organization of soybean producers. [30:44] This is the recipe for the perfect disaster. [30:50] Brazil's interest in San Ignacio is becoming clear, [30:53] but I want to know, what does Bolivia's [30:55] government make of all this? [31:03] The problem is most of them are in Brazil right now, ahead [31:06] of a bilateral meeting on the very cross-border [31:09] investment we're looking into. [31:21] There's one official in particular I want to speak to, [31:24] Fernando Romero Pinto. [31:26] He's Bolivia's new minister of development planning, [31:30] which now oversees environmental policy [31:32] after President Rodrigo Paz dissolved the [31:35] Ministry of Environment. [31:36] His resume over 25 years [31:39] as a prominent leader in the soy industry. [33:52] Things are moving fast. [33:54] There will be a presidential meeting in the next two weeks. [33:57] And it's really an ongoing story. [34:01] We are seeing this old cycle of the Amazon that people from [34:06] outside arrive in the region. [34:08] The government builds roads, newcomers buy land. [34:11] There is local resistance. [34:14] There is this trade-off of opening new jobs, [34:17] but also rampant deforestation. [34:19] This is a cycle that we've seen on and on in the Amazon, [34:23] and this is the time for San Ignacio. [34:48] They said that the room is full, [34:53] but let's see if we can do it. [34:59] We're ready inside the business forum in São Paulo. [35:04] Everybody's here. [35:05] It's a really important meeting. [36:09] We're again hearing the land sparring narrative. [36:12] This idea that intensifying existing farms will [36:14] save the standing forests. [36:16] But the relationship between [36:18] Brazil's falling deforestation rates [36:20] and Bolivia's rising ones [36:22] remains unresolved. [37:14] There's plenty of noise about the proposals, [37:16] but I want to know what's actually [37:17] confirmed and at what scale. [37:25] Listening to the discussions here, it's hard [37:28] to reconcile the rhetoric with the reality on the ground. [37:36] We've just come out of the final talk, [37:39] and the scale of what Brazil has [37:40] formally backed is confirmed. [37:45] Roads and a river bridge connecting it to Bolivia. [37:50] It's much larger than anything previously suggested. [37:56] Every time a road goes in, [37:58] the forest comes out. [38:03] That's not speculation. [38:04] That's the pattern we've seen across the Amazon. [38:07] It's a blueprint Brazil has refined over decades. [38:10] What's been called infrastructure here, [38:12] many we will argue, is something else. [38:15] A deforestation model exported. [38:22] What began as an investigation to land sparing led us [38:26] to report of the planned INPA estate acquisition. [38:29] A deal that would not only cast doubt on Brazil's land [38:31] sparing claim, but also reveals [38:34] how Bolivia's Amazon is quietly changing hands. [39:14] Eraí Maggi declined to speak with Bloomberg News. [39:17] But his brother Fernando agreed to speak with me. [41:01] So yesterday we went to the Brazil-Bolivia Business Forum [41:05] and Eraí Maggi, he was one of the speakers. [41:08] It was the first time that they acknowledged [41:11] that they bought lands in Bolivia. [41:17] Basically, they want to do the same thing in Bolivia, [41:21] what they did in Mato Grosso, which is expand agriculture [41:24] as much as possible and according to him to generate wealth [41:29] and improve Bolivia situation. [41:33] But at the same time, Mato Grosso is a largely deforested [41:38] area in Brazil, [41:41] and probably, that's what's already happened in Bolivia too. [41:45] It's the land sparing story in front of our eyes. [41:52] Following our investigation, the proposed road [41:55] to San Ignacio was confirmed [41:57] among other large scale infrastructure projects. [42:01] President Paz passed a law, which aimed [42:03] to convert small farms into medium-sized ones. [42:13] Indigenous leaders and pheasants argued it gave private [42:17] businesses rights to seize their land. [42:21] The protests that followed forced him to reverse the law. [42:26] - Firecrackers and tear gas filled the streets [42:29] of the Bolivian capital, La Paz. [42:31] - They were part of a larger rejection by some Bolivians [42:34] of Paz's business and economic policies. [42:37] Following a series of austerity measures. [42:40] A recent Global Forest Watch report on forest laws [42:43] confirmed our findings. [42:45] Bolivia's Amazon is vanishing, as Brazil's is spared. [42:51] Scientists around the world warn [42:53] that continued deforestation could trigger an Amazon tipping [42:56] point by the 2030s. [42:58] Some fear of humanity is already nearing [43:00] the point of no return.