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INPRIMATU
The Brazilian Congress approves the law that can delegate the lands of the indigenous people of the Amazon to deforesters
  • The Brazilian Congress has passed a law that extends the borders to recognize that the lands of the Amazon are demarcated and indigenous. The government of Lula da Silva, Luiz Inácio, has criticized the law and said it is a "regulated genocide". Indigenous people have been protesting for several days and cutting off the main roads.
Urko Apaolaza Avila @urkoapaolaza 2023ko maiatzaren 31

In Brazil, land occupied after the adoption of the October 1988 Constitution will not be recognized as indigenous land. This was decided this Tuesday by the Brazilian Parliament by 283 votes to 155.

From now on, indigenous peoples of origin must demonstrate that, before 1988, these lands were permanently occupied and used for productive activities, in order to be delayed as reserves.

It is a very influential measure, as the law establishes a great limit for the demarcation and recognition of the Amazon lands that have always been indigenous. In the 1980s many indigenous peoples were expelled from their lands by military dictatorship, so in 1988 many were unable to return to their lands of origin. They cannot prove it.

To the approval of the bill in the Brazilian Congress. Bolsonaro’s supporters remain the majority in this institution. Photo: Congress of Brazil

The law would remove the protection of these lands and open the doors to mining companies and woodworkers who are doing deforestation. Célia Xakiriabá, one of the few indigenous people represented in the Brazilian Congress, has strongly criticized the decision: "Over and above the continued attacks, the indigenous lands of this country have kept forests and biomass alive," he explains in a note requesting the collection of illegal signatures.

The Brazilian Government has also criticised the measure. The government of Lula da Silva opposes it and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples defines it as "controlled genocide".

Protesting indigenous

On Tuesday, a group of guaraní cut off one of Sao Paulo's main roads to protest the law. The television network Telesur, citing the local media as a source, has stated that the citizens of the Guarani people Jaragua have demonstrated on the Bandeirantes road and that the police have used the gas to cry.

In addition, on Monday at the Law School of the University of São Paulo they have mobilized against the bill.

The bill that goes beyond 2007 is the law that prevents land demarcation. It came to power again at the time of Jai Bolsonaro, and now, in the context of Lula's return, the right-wing political forces still in control of Congress have dealt with the law urgently. After being admitted to Congress, you will have to go through the Brazilian Senate.