Brazilian President Lula da Silva moved into action, signing a series of decrees that limit six new reserves for indigenous peoples in the Amazon. The measures are set to benefit groups such as the Maku and Tukano, helping communities safeguard their traditional ways of life amid rising threats from illegal mining and cattle ranching that drive deforestation.
During a meeting with indigenous representatives in the Brazilian city, the president approved decrees aimed at creating new reserves and guaranteeing exclusive use of natural resources by Indigenous communities, AP reported. This initial batch will total fourteen protected areas, spanning nearly one million hectares in all.
“It is a time-consuming process, but we will work to limit as many domestic reserves as possible. If the goal is zero deforestation by 2030, we need the maximum amount of restricted land,” said Lula.
The announcement came at the close of the nineteenth Terra Livre camp, an annual gathering that brings thousands of indigenous people from across the country together in an open-air setting in the Brazilian capital.
Protecting Amazon
Lula, aged 77, signed the decrees alongside prominent Indigenous leaders, including the renowned leader Raoni Metuktire, who presented him with a traditional headdress. He noted that more could be achieved in four years for Indigenous communities than in the eight years of prior governance, as Lula began his third term in January.
There is a stark contrast to the approach of Lula’s predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who served from 2019 to 2022 and pledged not to concede land to Indigenous peoples. Under Bolsonaro, deforestation trends rose sharply, with annual losses increasing by about 75 percent on average compared with the previous decade.
The most recent reserve creation follows a period in which the last major reservation was established on April 26, 2018. That development affected the Baía do Guató Indigenous Lands, a 20,000-hectare area in Mato Grosso’s midwest region, during Michel Temer’s presidency (2016-2018).
New bookings in the coming years
A 2010 census counted roughly 800,000 Indigenous people in Brazil, with the majority living in reserves that cover about 13.75 percent of the national territory. When some say 14 percent is a large share, Lula reminded audiences that, before Portuguese arrival, Indigenous peoples already occupied the full territory in practice.
Last month, Indigenous Peoples Minister Sonia Guajajara announced that fourteen regions, including six approved on Friday, covering about 900,000 hectares, were ready to be placed under Indigenous rule. She stated that a new history would be written for the good of the planet and all of humanity, a sentiment shared seconds before the decrees were signed.
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Note: The environment department did not publish additional contact details here.