On Tuesday, October 24, around 300 protesters gathered at the Department of National Transportation Infrastructure (DNIT) building in Marabá, Pará, taking a stand against the government's plans for the dredging and demolition of the Pedral do Lourenção. This public action primarily involved residents from traditional riverine communities living along the Tocantins River, who are concerned about the anticipated negative impacts of the proposed hydropower project on their livelihoods. They are demanding accountability from state authorities regarding how the project will affect the local ecosystem and their resource access.

The demonstrators express fear that the dredging project, aimed at developing a waterway for agribusiness products such as soybeans, will jeopardize the fishing industry, vital for their sustenance. Among the participants was Conceição Santos, a resident of the Diamante riverine community in nearby Itupiranga, who claimed that the DNIT's environmental studies did not adequately consider her community's needs or concerns. She stressed the importance of including traditional communities in decision-making processes that will affect their environment and quality of life.

The planned dredging project is part of Brazil's New PAC, which was announced by the Federal Government and is slated for completion in 2025. However, the local community argues that the potential ecological and social impacts have not been properly evaluated. With the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) seeking legal intervention to suspend the project, the situation highlights the tensions between development initiatives and the rights and needs of local indigenous populations, bringing forth questions about environmental justice and community engagement in government projects.