The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) refreshed its travel guidance for Brazil on September 25 2026. While the overall risk levels remain unchanged, the update adds a detailed list of river sections in western Amazonas state—including stretches of the Solimões, Itaquaí, Japurá and Rio Negro—where the FCDO now advises against all but essential travel. The revision follows a recent spike in river-piracy incidents that affected freight barges and small tourist vessels during the current low-water season. Corporate security managers with personnel operating in remote energy or forestry projects should reassess routing and consider chartering vessels with armed escort or using scheduled flights into regional hubs such as Tefé or Tabatinga. The warning will also impact the fast-growing expedition-cruise market, which had planned new itineraries upriver from Manaus for the 2026-27 season. Operators will need to adjust programmes or enhance onboard security provisions to avoid insurance complications. The advisory also amends the ‘Safety and security’ chapter to highlight a rise in express-kidnapping cases involving app-based taxis in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Travellers are urged to verify driver and vehicle details before boarding and to avoid hailing cars on the street late at night. Multinationals should update ground-transport policies and remind staff to use pre-booked transfer services from approved vendors. Because many insurers reference FCDO guidance, the new wording may trigger higher premiums or exclusions for travel into the affected river zones. Companies sending staff to field sites should document additional mitigation measures—such as GPS trackers and daily check-ins—to maintain coverage and duty-of-care compliance.
