Along the Amazon in Peru | DW Documentary

The government intends to expand and deepen the River Amazon’s tributaries to allow passage for large container ships and is meeting stiff resistance from the region’s indigenous peoples.
A decrepit old cargo ship is the only means of transport on the Amazon in Peru. South America's great river is still relatively narrow here, but it’s also the only lifeline for the region's people and economy. We travel on the Eduardo III, an overcrowded steamship on its three-day voyage up the winding river from Yurimaguas to Iquitos. Timber and other goods are loaded in chaotic ports, and people doze in hammocks on the cramped passenger deck as the ship passes through one of the last untouched natural paradises in the world. If Peru's government goes ahead with its plans, the Amazon region in the northeast of the country will soon be developed and links to the country’s economic infrastructure significantly improved. A Chinese company, for example, is to deepen the Amazon tributaries Marañón, Ucayali and Huallaga to allow large container ships all-year passage. But the excavation project is highly controversial and the region’s indigenous peoples are putting up a stiff fight against it. Water has a deep spiritual meaning for the tribes of the Amazon, who believe the spirits of their ancestors live on in the river. But will Peru’s advocates of progress allow objections like that to get in their way of their plans?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch high-class documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary.
Subscribe to DW Documentary:
/ @dwdocumentary
Our other KZbin channels:
DW Documental (in spanish): / dwdocumental
DW Documentary وثائقية دي دبليو: (in arabic): / dwdocarabia
For more documentaries visit also:
www.dw.com/en/t...
Instagram
/ dwdocumentary
Facebook:
/ dw.stories
DW netiquette policy: p.dw.com/p/MF1G

[@bajoobiecuzican]

Hard working peoples. Thank you DW for shining their light.

[@puiip3605]

Truly a wonderful documentary! 1996, I was on one of these boats, traveling alone, with a hammock used as bed, spending 3 nights on the Amazon! This of course was a most amazing experience in life

[@liganiwau7667]

Please respect indigenous peoples 🌺🐗love from Fiji island South Pacific.

[@Indian2285]

Once again awesome job by DW... Great to witness the greatness of nature called "Amazon"

[@cristianalvarez1536]

Iquitos is really something worth visiting, so is the nice people from the jungle, always easygoing and friendly with visitors

[@gorillachilla]

God bless peru and it's people

[@jabnaeratchi]

I’ve been to Iquitos Peru. What a beautiful place. An amazing experience I will never forget!

[@johnsolberg5611]

I hope it is their for the future

[@angelobugini6771]

The River of Spirits is an astonishing documentary! I truly did appreciate it so much. Thanks a lot for sharing! Keep it up!

[@mikec5372]

Don't dredge Fred

[@TmaadHMD]

My mother is from Iquitos and I will someday visit her land. :-)

[@hzilla5550]

Bye bye Peru. Development of big shipping channels will be the final stake in your heart. Exploitation by 1st world countries, over population, and habitat destruction are what await you. My trip from Iquitos to Pacaya Reserve was most memorable. This video makes me want to cry. Save your country Peruvians! Limit tourism and "development!" There was also discussion of a new super airport to service the Machu Picchu. What happened to this?

[@vondahe]

I understand your viewpoint but Peru needs tourism for revenue. It's very easy for us westerners to say they should avoid tourism but then what should they do to feed themselves - or should they live in poverty because we think so? The airport, sadly is currently under construction with bulldozers already flattening land for the runway in Chinchero.

[@michellebeckstrom6110]

Exactly what i was thinking, besides where does all of this development stop and we know it won't likely benefit the people living there.

[@culturaypasion]

"Development" has turned into the biggest con ever. Let's call it for what it is: enrichment of a select few at the expense of the rest. If they won't do it, WE need to diminish our consumption. URGENTLY.

[@malikqadeer]

As usual, a very good documentary. only DW can produce such great documentaries. Keep up the good work.

[@sherhasim9136]

Thank you DW for this documentary. 🙌 Greetings from the Philippines! ❤️🇵🇭

[@sultanbobby8790]

Thank you DW, for the people centred documentaries

[@homehealthphysicaltherapy]

Peru's main exports are copper, gold, zinc. Great reporting DW. Let's take care of the Earth... It's our only home. We are all Earthlings.

[@donfields1234]

That would be nice, i doubt we have time though. Time to change into wise biengs, changing how we exist to be in balance WITH nature, and fix much of what we have devastated along our path to riches. I just dont see it happening, although i hope and wish it would, we may have already crossed the line

[@josephcampbell4724]

Words like Development and Change really scared me .

[@chell5010]

This is a global take over of the Communist party of China. Check out videos on Belt and Road Project. You'll see how they prey on poor nations. They build with a promise of economic prosperity for the locals and when the loan is due and the country cannot pay their debts the CCP then takes over the land or property.

[@abhishekpandey6563]

I love dw documentarys form India 🇮🇳

[@HeathifyMyLife]

ABHISHEK PANDEY Namaste

[@latitude599]

Great documentaries and storytelling as always, thank you DW 👍

[@williammbuttlicker3733]

The translations are not correct, they are putting words in those peoples mouth. For example, one of them, according to DW, said "I hope my generation after me will continue" He DID NOT say hope, he just said his generation, MAYBE, will do the same. He never said I hope or they must. If you want to learn the truth, learn the language.

[@morganmorales9474]

DW stands for?

[@adijayaification]

DW you are our eyes, ears and foots 👍🏿😃❤️

[@olchat2012]

feet🦶🦶

[@fyrstikkenofnorway2744]

Why oh WHY would Peru give China access? In ten years this will prove to have been the ruin for the regions and a big burden for the country

[@suzystone244]

The Government WIll destroy much in these remote places along the rivers and lakes. Water is life. Water is the most cherished resource.

[@TiempoNuevo-ew7ty]

Governments are in bed with capitalists who end up destroying everything the touch. Work for local independence and kick out the Foreign resource, money, land grabbers.

[@Jimmy4video]

The government is made up of individuals and individuals can be bought like the Minister of the Environment. The money is the problem, whether it comes from companies or the Chinese. Unfortunately it's hard to fix, but Costa Rica shows that is possible for a government to prioritise the environment.

[@kekoahoomanawanui4848]

straight up

[@morita136479]

Remote places?

[@suzystone244]

@@morita136479 yes. Remote. This Earth is reclaiming herself btw. Man has and is polluting at a level beyond scarey. Water contamination is even in the polar regions. The Fjords. Two examples of REMOTE places. I recycle my water 💧 as much as I can.

[@oregonsbragia]

Your boat is dope man. If you have such ambition, build another boat. When the bigger boats come, they will be owned by Chinese companies that want to exploit the lands. You will be out of business and will be forced to work for one the corporations, if you are lucky enough to get the job. The entire character of the river will be transformed. When the resources are depleted the corporations will leave a wake of devastation and will never take responsibility. I say don't do it. You can't tame such a wild river anyway. It's a foolish plan.

[@seabookarno123]

True. China is heavily investing their Southern neighbour, Chile right now.

[@johnsolberg5611]

This is hard to watch ,man destroys everything.

[@RomaInvicta202]

Exactly

[@ogriss412]

That painting in the beginning 🔥🔥🔥❤️❤️❤️

[@judykinsman3258]

From someone who came to the Peruvian Amazon just before the pandemic, it breaks my heart to see the planned destruction of the Amazon for economic gain. The region’s people & the rainforest will be the losers. 😢

[@pepotsasori317]

Dont forget the winners mate, a few corrupt men and some heartless corporations.

[@anacipaulina818]

Thank you DW.. for amazing documanteries..I was watching silk road yesterday.. and today about peru.wow Danke🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩 terimakasih.

[@patriciaosayimwen3354]

Thank you DW for all your awesome documentary. NICE CONTENT.

[@DWDocumentary]

Hi @Patricia Osayimwen, We're really glad to hear you like our documentaries. :-) Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! Best, The DW Documentary Team

[@xinjunwu7941]

great job, thank you DW

[@nerox8580]

I lived in Peru for almost 3 years. It's such an amazing place on earth. A side note: the translation from Spanish is not accurate. Thank you for sharing these beautiful things.

[@Tiger1x1]

That music and football..u should creat such moments in every documentry 👍👍

[@yahooo949]

Thank you for the wonderful video. Also, thank you for the hard working people. I hope that the beauty of the area is preserved and no longer affected by human activity.

[@HeathifyMyLife]

I feel sad and keep the good memories of this magical river spirit. Giving more access will not go without a price mainly ecological and what our earth 🌍 needs really now is tomar más consciencia de nuestro medio ambiente. Boat traffic create a lot of pollution and making a mess of a point that has been free of big invasion. To be honest I feel sad but I guess it’s justified me to blame for feeling this but please at least show me the environmental impact of this📍 Not everyone is consciously of preserving what Nature gives us every day; every time I go in nature i find plastic bags, plastic bottles and this in a so called developed country. I keep hope 🌍🌍🌍 #savetheamazon #pachamama

[@olchat2012]

La pacha mama nos necesita ! Nuestra gente nativa no necesita modernización ni desarrollo. So,o necesitan que los dejemos en paz. Asi han vivido por cientos y miles de años. Yes, I am sad as well and would hope all of those those government's promises remain just that, promises and the river is left untouched, no dredging!!

[@essene3695]

I agree with the ppl. When corporations comes into the picture..it is never good! SMH. #profitsoverhumanity

[@davesmith5656]

Look at the reality. Are you really saying you would rather live in an agricultural society supplemented by hunting and gathering? Not to be overly biting, but what are you doing on a computer (made by corporations) on the internet (made by corporations) sitting in a chair (made by corporations) in a house (made by corporations) heated and cooled (by corporations) eating food (produced by corporations) ... etc.. You heard the captain of that river boat say he wanted to get ahead. Do you really want to "get behind"? Maybe fill in the Panama Canal and return to the jungle? If you want to be ecologically friendly, you have to work with other people..

[@FoxyCAMTV]

Not to be overly biting but aren't these people living here already happy?..Why create more demand and supply and why turn this town into a city which will consume the jungle around it.

[@davesmith5656]

@@FoxyCAMTV ---- The big question about all civilization, no?

[@ChristianNorge]

​@@davesmith5656 (made by corporations)** and facilitated by public R&D and infrastructure. I'm not sure what your point is exactly. If we don't allow corporations unmitigated access to cause irreversible damage to our environment for short term profits, we'll be going back to the jungle? During the industrial revolution in Europe, it took centuries and sometimes violent protests before commoners saw any benefit. *Unrestrained* free-market capitalism had devastating effects, and yes according to reports from 19th century Britain, peasants tilling their fields fared much better than the working poor in factories.

[@davesmith5656]

@@ChristianNorge My point is that if you like living in a jungle, go there. If you like roads, cars and computers like the one in front of you, kindly shut up with your Marxist drivel. Is that clear enough for you, or are you just telling me nothing is going to stop you in your brutish fanatical drive to enslave humanity and yourself?

[@Kitiwake]

The Chinese are dredging to access for logging and mining.

[@vondahe]

Very likely. They have no regard for sustainability and have already bribed their way to destroying large parts of Indonesia's rain forest. Chinese investment is like inviting cancer.

[@a.s5353]

Agree. The world must resist Chinese investments harmful for the environments.

[@suzystone244]

South China Sea is a CASH COW...that will be milked to death.

[@wangtie9602]

WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES FOR IF THEY ARE NOT BEING USED? MOST IMPORTANT IS HOW TO MINE AND CUT THE TREES AN HOW TO BENEFIT THE PEOPLE AND PROTECT THE ENVIROMENT.

[@jonnahofman1264]

Nuke em

[@jhgamingcrew2321]

Beautiful enviroment, i hope you will manage to preserve your River

[@rixille]

Amazon rainforest really needs to be preserved. It's a vital piece of land and the mass deforestation due to logging only serves against this. China is "improving" South America just for the sake of having access to their natural resources; superpowers never help small countries for free; there is always some exchange. Money for the project is not the only thing China aims to get.

[@marathonman1924]

Amazing job

[@Elizabeth-uj8vn]

I love DW😍

[@gullwingstorm857]

"A Chinese company is set to start soon..." Another Chinese finger in the world pie.

[@omkarishmen934]

What do u thinl eoropean forefathers did///the creators of racism

[@GuitarguyRichard56]

@@omkarishmen934 china is a plague

[@randallfabian6640]

They can't wait to get their hands on the natural resources and endangered species.

[@burjb3779]

Indigenous people indigenous routes keeping love alive in the the sympathetic heart. The knew give and take important which keeps people together

[@001joyo]

My grandfather was from this beautiful city ,

[@rogerscottcathey]

Developers are worse than piranhas.

[@khadrtrudeau1662]

No migrants are, these people are flooding are southern border demanding entry. No English, No Spanish. They need to develop their country.

[@khadrtrudeau1662]

@Tav aiono " Corruption and suffering " That would be Government corruption. Stop voting for Santa Claus. Share? vote for me and I will take money from your neighbor and give it to you.

[@fitofight8540]

They create jobs

[@akshayganesh4144]

Piranhas are fish how can the project be compared to that?

[@kofikihefa7972]

Isn't it a good thing it tells you about Peru, people mainly about the river. Good video 🙂👍.

[@alelambert888]

Well done and thank you for a good documentary. Already, you have highlight a massive subject otherwise hidden from the world. Yet, this just barely scratched the surface. Please follow up with other aspects vis-a-vis financial, environmental & etc.

[@HugsmadeDrugs]

So as a peruvian and to put an unbiased view of the whole situation: The video even though sheds light on government negligence and overlooming chinese influence, it also demonizes something that isn't necesarily is so. The Project has been studied environmentaly and there's a second one gone underway: Peru is the first country with the Law of Previous consultation, meaning that any project that goes near indigenous groups will be previously consulted with said group and civil societies that safeguard their rights if it's viable for them. The Project also isn't as environmentally tragic or dangerous as one may seem: They are not going to dredge all the amazon, but only certain spots that are difficult so that big carriers can go along way. I've been to both Cities Yurimawas and Iquitos, and let me tell you, the infraestructure of both is deplorable. By having a big fluvious way of carriers the amount of production and infraestructure is going to give a massive boost of quality of life for this people. I'm not trying to justify negligence, if the environmental study shows negative outcomes they i don't think the project will be done, but if they show green light, it will be a grace and a massive boost for my fellow countrymen

[@HeathifyMyLife]

Scooby dooderino Para mí y en muchos casos similares ya establecidos muchos estudios no son imparciales pues hay muchos ‘intereses’ de por medio. Sería muy ingenuo para mí de pensar lo contrario. La navegación fluvial trae consigo mucha tragedia consigo: imaginar la basura del barco salir en el río me pone muy mal y que todo esto tenga que tragárselo el o los animales que forman parte del ambiente me entristece porque al final todo es un circulo y a largo plazo todo se ve afectado. Pensar más a largo plazo y no solo en la recompensa fácil de llenarse los bolsillos sería mejor. Mi parecer.

[@sallybrite1530]

The Indigenous population doesn't seem to want their quality of life "improved" by big development. Think of the "improvement" brought by foreign developers to other areas of the Amazon. They've seen it all before, that's why they oppose it. The only reason for such projects is for corporations to exploit the local resources. None of the wealth ever ends up in the local communities.

[@Jimmy4video]

Minister of the Environment cheerleading the destruction of the environment 🤦‍♂️ Good governance is the only hope we have, but it is a rare commodity when politicians can so easily be bought by big business.

[@vondahe]

Would you prefer to clear pristine rain forest for roads?

[@Jimmy4video]

@@vondahe that's like asking if you prefer to die by the sword or gun. How about we try not destroying the forest instead and that would be helped by not facilitating organisations which would benefit from destroying the forest.

[@Theflowoflove]

Minister of Environment instead of ministers of ecology & heritage/ human rights activists. Please people the world is trying to warn you before its all too tragically ruined for all life of the amazon.

[@taroudant1421]

protect nature

[@BPantherPink]

Why the blanking off, of something in the lower left ??? If it is a genuine DW documentary ??

[@DWDocumentary]

Hello @bpanter! Thank you for your comment. This documentary is produced by our associated TV station SWR and not by DW. Due to licensing regulations we had to blur their original Logo. Best, DW Documentary

[@bnkundwa]

Planting trees can help to fight against cancer.

[@waihoechan123]

Please include a map so as to inform the public where the story is going on.. as it is we are blind to what is going on.

[@azaniapulse3014]

I'd like to do a river cruise tour on the Amazon one day....

[@sanjeevpereira8141]

Great vedio

[@lethumanqoba1190]

that Leo Messi t-shirt 🙌🙌 Messi is THE GOAT of Football.

[@ursulaphillips5309]

Governments must stop interfering with nature and with rivers. The same thing is happening in North Africa at the moment with the Nile river.

[@rogdog3373]

Spanish guitar background incongruous Nice visual and narration

[@mardianahama1874]

Very wonderful story its a nice video, waching fr sabah Malaysia

[@wangtie9602]

THE TRICYCLES ARE REALLY AN ATTRACTION.

[@martinndaguatha5538]

A nice Documentary film.

[@jimmy2tymes391]

Holy moly!!

[@jknewb6276]

I thought it was a Hershey kiss..

[@starcrib]

excellent documentary: especially about the suicide rates on the river towns where Rubber, Gold, and Oil exploitation has occurred for hundreds of years. amazing people, especially Leonardo Tello. !!

[@chetawitko7031]

Hau Kukama oyate! Nahanhči lel unk'unpi! Waš'aka un po! >>>-------> Hello Kukama people! We're still here! Stay strong!

[@nancyruba1702]

DW !!! LIKE !! LIKE !!! :D. !!!

[@mlungisiluthuli8322]

Can we please have an update on the progress of the port in 2022.

[@malcolmwatt4866]

What no pallets and forklifts and loading ramps? Seriously makes life a lot easier.

[@deidradahl2802]

Hello porters, ever heard of wheel borrows, or nail some boards together to make carts?

[@dennismarfo3536]

I am happy to let you know that no animals were harmed in the making of this documentary.

[@yamahonkawazuki]

i have mixed feelings about this. ( amazing video btw, thank you DQ) but you dredge the river, eventually whats stopping ships ( and owners) from eyeballing some trees or other things there

[@luxusken05]

Some of them looks like South East Asian. Specially the people of the Philippines and Indonesia.

[@berriessanchez6308]

Wow...very entertaining

[@angelabarabas1659]

Better than National Geographic

[@cloutmuzikbeats]

Good shit

[@chell5010]

The oil leak reminds me of a prediction that the Amazon will go in flames.

[@cliffwoodbury5319]

i wished they listed the size of his ship and the size of ships they want to have on the river - that interests me. Those oil spills are unexeptable.

[@arnab6408]

Before the Peruvian govt embarks on this project, they should look at what has happened to Yangtze. Changing the benthic topography of major river system always bring catastrophic changes. One that is never reversible. Rivers like the Amazon, Mekong, Ganges and the Brahmaputra should be managed incrementally, supported by lots of scientific and socio-economic data.

[@bouymel5451]

any developers will find a way to make a development in the area maybe thru mining,etc.

[@akshahuvlogs3786]

Nice 👍

[@lindabarrett6471]

I don't want to make do with what I already do. I want to develop. OH MY GOSH! I needed to hear someone say that.

[@Dafdynamics]

Attempts have already been made to adjust the ucayali near Iquitos. The result is that it has become extremely wide and almost unnavigable. It is total madness to change a meandering river. The documentary does not mention that history is in danger of repeating itself.

[@aniruddhakale3570]

I love dw documentary! Any job for me?

[@adijayaification]

Amazon is a human-nature wonder

[@Chepecafeteria]

Do they not know that it will also narrow the river?

[@Daniel-fl5oq]

Real life documentary

[@donny9078]

The pain felt by victims in the past isn't passed on from one generation to the next, for the next generation to feel pain over something, they would need to experience this themselves, otherwise they have no idea how it feels.

[@UlonLemaan]

Any update about the river highway?

[@saiyanhead]

Yeah, local people always benefit.

[@bertlbarm4374]

good idea my next destination

[@mihiec]

Cut down all tress. Make a lot of supermarkets. Roads. Burn oil. Yes!

[@mustfit1242]

so capt. salazar has retired from a navy and now become a helmsman for a cargo ship in amazon ?

[@yesid17]

great documentary but LMAO the translation @12:30 she's saying the parawa "es la que da vida, es una boa, caza, pero representa como una boa" the parawa is a house she said the parawa hunts, casa and caza sound the same, apparently their translator can't understand American Spanish, honestly really skeptical of the accuracy of the dubs what else was mistranslated

[@harsimaratsidhu4991]

Can't stop progress. But history has taught us that the native population or local people must be stakeholders for development to be sustainable. It's not in a grab or loot model bypassing the locals. This results in economic exploitation and results in environmental degradation.

[@olchat2012]

The native peoples DO NOT need progress and riches. All they need is to be left alone!!

[@dexterlacroy4132]

Paintings remind of ayahuasca visions. If you've been there, you know what I'm talking about.

[@deidradahl3186]

Haven't these people heard of wheel borrows, or donkeys?

[@alessandrobruno9925]

@4:30 - No transportamos inflamables...@4:32 - truck loaded with Gas Combustible is parked right on the deck lol

[@ChinmayRastogi]

Must DW always have English voiceovers as the native people are speaking? It's rather weird to have someone talking over in a mechanical voice. Subtitles would be SO much better. They help see, hear, and feel the video way better.

[@edgywagy145]

Open your own channel tv and do it your way.

[@justdev8965]

Have these people not heard of a forklift? Those laborers' workload is insanity.

[@mhmadtirk4007]

It's very nice think

[@myriadplanes]

we will sing the stones apart and take down the cities.. back to the trees.. back to the river.. Nature is all !

[@HeathifyMyLife]

Archie Watts agree

[@timcerdded8565]

i live on the conwy wales the dreging here causes nothing but trouble

[@adelchidipalma9857]

How to get direction to visit this place?

[@glennhertel1165]

So when you buy something on Amazon this is were it comes from

[@cliveheyne5241]

What has the Amazon to do with the Chinese?