June 9, 2022

09:06

Ívina Garcia – from Amazon Agency

MANAUS – The president of the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI), Marcelo Augusto Xavier da Silva, said in an interview with Jovem Pan News that Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips did not have authorization to enter indigenous land, however, a document signed on May 12 proves that Bruno was authorized to access the area.

During the interview, the president of Funai affirmed that any action taken in the region of isolated indigenous people needs prior authorization from the agency. “All entry into the area of isolated indigenous peoples has to go through our Authorization and Research Sector. None of the protocols were followed either.

However, the document made available by the Univaja Surveillance Team (EVU) says that all of Funai’s protocols were fulfilled and Bruno’s authorization was signed electronically by the substitute regional coordinator, Mislene Metchacuna, on May 12.

Univaja also reports that the invitation was made by the body for Bruno to participate in meetings in the Vale do Javari IT “with the intention of discussing the territory and indigenous strategies to protect it”. The Union also states that it considers Bruno “the greatest authority in the country in field work specialized in isolated indigenous peoples in the current context,” they further explain that the invitation was made “due to the notorious knowledge, specialty, and the great confidence that he arouses among our leaders.

Even with the authorization, the place where Bruno and Dom disappeared was not part of the territory of the isolated indigenous people, according to the Association of Funai Servers that made a statement via social networks, repudiating the words of the president of the body.

“It is not true that Bruno and Dom have been careless with requesting authorization to enter indigenous land. Simply because they did not enter indigenous land. The expedition took place in the vicinity but not inside the Vale do Javari Indigenous Land”, they wrote.

“The president of Funai therefore insinuates a non-existent carelessness on the part of the missing duo”, they report. Marcelo Xavier’s remarks echo the statements made by President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday afternoon, 7, who, in making his first statement on the case, called the missing men’s trip an “adventure not to be recommended,” but that he hoped both would be found.

Read also: ‘An adventure not to be recommended’, Bolsonaro says of missing reporter

Read the note in full: