Ilha Brava: A people isolated by the precariousness of maritime transport
The maritime transport situation on the island of Brava has long been an open wound that insists on not healing. The isolation to which the people of Brava have been subjected, due to the instability and insufficiency of maritime connections, is not just a logistical problem, but a violation of the basic right to mobility and a serious obstacle to the island's development.
Shopkeepers live with the uncertainty of when and how they will be able to replenish their products. Many mini-markets are operating on the edge, with empty shelves, dependent on the luck of a trip that may or may not happen. Hoteliers and guesthouse owners, meanwhile, are seeing frequent cancellations as tourists and visitors give up in the face of insecure sea connections, jeopardizing tourism, one of the island's few sources of income, and especially now with the arrival of the São João festivities on the island, the island's most rigid festival.
Even more alarming is the situation of citizens who have to travel to deal with health, education or administrative issues on other islands. These are people who miss medical appointments, essential treatments or legal deadlines because they simply can't leave or return to Brava on a regular basis. This isn't just inconvenient: it's inhumane.
The island of Brava can no longer be treated as a footnote in national transport planning. It is urgent to guarantee a stable, safe and frequent maritime service that respects the dignity of the Brava people and supports local economic growth.
The solution is not just promises or one-off actions. It requires political commitment, serious investment and, above all, respect. Respect for a population that continues to resist, despite the neglect it has been subjected to.
The Brava deserves more. It deserves dignity. It deserves regular and reliable transportation now.
