The transbrasiliana and the amazon in the age of development

Abstract

The construction of the Belé–Brasília highway was the main work developed in the Amazon region during the Brazilian democratic period between 1946 and 1964. It was understood by part of the press as a possibility of integrating the Amazon region to the rest of the country and to the new capital that was being built: Braszilia. The highway would put an end to the Amazon’s historical isolation, and would also represent the ultimate victory of man against nature, which was considered one of the main villains of progress and development of the region. The analysis of the construction of Transbrasiliana enables the reflection of the impact of large projects in peripheral areas, such as the Brazilian Amazon.