Amazon, illustration - AFP

Zezico Guajajara, who was a teacher and belonged to the Guardians of the Forest group, the spearhead of the fight against deforestation, "was shot dead" on Tuesday, the NGO Survival International said. "The circumstances of his death have not yet been clarified, but the Forest Guardians are often threatened by powerful mafias of timber traffickers," added the rights organization.

Five months ago, another indigenous leader of the same Guajajara ethnic group was assassinated in this region. The National Indian Foundation (Funai), a public body responsible for indigenous affairs, has announced that an investigation has been opened by the federal police into the death of Zezico Guajajara, presented as "an important and active leader in the region ".

Threat to Aboriginal life

The governor of Maranhao, Flavio Dino, condemned this "homicide" on Wednesday and promised to come to the aid of the federal authorities to "ensure the security of the natives within their lands". The Education Secretariat of this poor state in the northeast is partly covered by the Amazon rainforest, for its part, spoke of an "assassination".

After coming to power in early 2019, far-right president Jair Bolsonaro announced his intention to open indigenous territories - supposed to be sanctuaries reserved for traditional modes of production - to mineral or petroleum exploration, or even to extensive agriculture. Most indigenous people and NGOs consider that this discourse harms the environment and threatens the lives of indigenous people, giving a feeling of impunity to the criminal groups that regularly invade these territories.

Planet

Amazon: If nothing is done, the forest could disappear in 50 years due to global warming

World

Coronavirus: First case among natives in Brazil

  • Ng
  • Assassination
  • Brazil
  • World
  • Amazon