Brazil has formally pushed back against a UNFCCC letter from Simon Stiell that described a security breach at COP30 in Belém after Indigenous protesters entered the venue. The UN letter cited unsecured doors, unclear response guarantees and infrastructure issues including leaks and failing air conditioning. Brazil countered that internal Blue Zone security falls under UNDSS, and said it coordinated with federal and state authorities to increase guards, widen buffer zones, add barriers and repair leaks and cooling systems. President Lula defended hosting the talks in Belém to spotlight the Amazon.
COP30 Security Row: Brazil Rebuts UN Complaint, Increases Guards and Fixes Infrastructure in Belém
Brazil has formally pushed back against a UNFCCC letter from Simon Stiell that described a security breach at COP30 in Belém after Indigenous protesters entered the venue. The UN letter cited unsecured doors, unclear response guarantees and infrastructure issues including leaks and failing air conditioning. Brazil countered that internal Blue Zone security falls under UNDSS, and said it coordinated with federal and state authorities to increase guards, widen buffer zones, add barriers and repair leaks and cooling systems. President Lula defended hosting the talks in Belém to spotlight the Amazon.
02:02 AM, 11/14/2025Environment
COP30 security dispute: Brazil rejects UN claim and announces measures
Brazil has rejected a formal complaint from UN climate chief Simon Stiell over a security breach at the COP30 summit in Belém, while announcing stepped-up protections and fixes to venue infrastructure. Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said in a letter reported by Bloomberg that dozens of Indigenous protesters managed to gain entry to the venue and that host security personnel had "failed to act," calling the incident a "serious breach of the established security framework." The letter also flagged vulnerabilities including unsecured doors, uncertain guarantees that authorities would respond to intrusions, malfunctioning air conditioning and water seeping into lighting fixtures following heavy downpours.
"There was a serious breach of the established security framework," Simon Stiell wrote, according to media reports.
In a response seen by AFP, Brazilian authorities stressed that "internal security within the Blue Zone is the responsibility of the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), which defines how all areas within it will be protected." The reply said federal and Pará state authorities worked with UNDSS to reassess vulnerabilities and implemented a package of measures, including increasing the number of security personnel, widening the buffer zone around the venue and physically reinforcing the perimeter with additional barriers.
Summit chair André Corrêa do Lago told reporters at an evening briefing, "It is a non-issue now. The issues related to that have been secured." Brazilian officials also addressed infrastructure concerns, saying there had been "no flooding of the event venue, only localized occurrences such as leaks" caused by broken gutters that have since been repaired. Additional air-conditioning units were installed to address reported cooling failures.
The choice of Belém, a mid-sized city on the edge of the Amazon, had been controversial because of limited accommodation and concerns about readiness to host tens of thousands of attendees. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defended hosting the summit in the region, saying it was important to bring global attention to the Amazon’s challenges and its crucial role in fighting climate change.
Both the UN and Brazilian authorities indicate steps have been taken: the UN highlighted security and safety weaknesses and sought assurances, and Brazil says it coordinated with UNDSS and local authorities to shore up protection and infrastructure. Reporting credited Bloomberg and AFP for the original coverage.