October 13, 2021

09:10

Iury Lima – from Cenarium

VILHENA (RO) – During an interview to Repórter Brasil, chief Raoni Metuktire, from the Caiapó people, revealed his support to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for the 2022 presidential elections. One of the motivations for this decision would be the dissatisfaction with the directions taken for Brazil, affecting mainly the existence of traditional people, by the current president of the Republic.

“Bolsonaro is doing the wrong thing and I don’t like it. He wants the extinction of the indigenous people and also thinks about destroying you white men”, said the 91-year-old indigenous leader during the interview on the last 8th.

Raoni wants peace

For the cacique, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2020, removing Jair Bolsonaro from the presidency through the vote means tranquility for the forest communities that were threatened during his government, in which the villages began to suffer more threats, fueled by controversial speeches to environmental preservation, also enabling the growth of land grabbing, deforestation and illegal mining, for example.

“We all have to support Lula for him to take this position so that we can have tranquility”, said the indigenous leader in another part of the interview. Raoni went on to say that Lula’s return to power will make “things right and everyone will have peace”, and completed by stating that he considers Jair Bolsonaro to be “a piece of maneuvering by foreign governments”.

"If Lula takes over, I will be there with him and we will start working together again"
Raoni Metuktire

Violation of rights

According to the Annual Report on Violence Against Indigenous People in Brazil, organized by the Indigenous Missionary Council (Cimi), released in September 2020, it was in the first year of Bolsonaro’s government that indigenous rights became even more violated.

The increase was 135% in 2019, from north to south of the country, compared to the previous year. Most cases involved deaths due to lack of assistance, threats, malicious bodily harm, and deaths of children aged zero to five.