Ministriy for Indigenous Peoples
Brazil's Indigenous communities secure historic land rights victory
Brazil's Supreme Court blocks law pushed by agribusinesses to take away lands belonging to Indigenous communities that were not inhabitant by the groups in 1988.
The Brazilian Supreme Court has delivered a landmark victory for Indigenous communities, thwarting attempts to significantly erode their land rights, which activists hailed as a historic triumph for the country's original inhabitants.
Nine out of the Supreme Court's 11 justices voted against what advocacy groups had dubbed the "time limit trick," a move backed by agribusiness interests to prevent Indigenous communities from claiming land they did not physically inhabit in 1988.
In front of the Supreme Court's main office in Brasilia, a surge of powerful emotions was witnessed on Thursday, as most of the justices delivered a verdict in favor of Indigenous rights. Among the activists present, some were moved to tears of happiness, while others marked the occasion with exuberant dancing.
- Eloy Terena, an Indigenous attorney holding a senior position within Brazil's recently established Ministry for Indigenous Peoples, shared his elation on X/Twitter, declaring, "Long live Indigenous resistance."
Indigenous congresswoman Celia Xakriaba took to X/Twitter, declaring, "[This is a] victory for struggle, a victory for rights, a victory for our history. [All of] Brazil is Indigenous territory and the future is ancestral."
Sania Guajajara, Brazil's minister for Indigenous peoples, celebrated the ruling as a significant achievement resulting from years of dedicated struggle and protest.
Bolsonaro-appointed justices supported agrobusiness
In stark contrast, only two Supreme Court justices supported the "marco temporal" (time marker) thesis, which aimed to limit Indigenous land claims. Both of these justices, Kassio Nunes Marques and Andre Mendonca, were appointed by the former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.
Activists accused Bolsonaro of orchestrating a historic assault on Indigenous territories by dismantling protection agencies and promoting anti-Indigenous and anti-environmental rhetoric. Before joining the court, Mendonca served as Bolsonaro's justice minister.
- Survival International, an Indigenous rights group, marked the defeat of what they characterized as an attempt “to legalize the theft of huge areas of Indigenous lands.” They warned that the success of such efforts could have led to the eradication of dozens of uncontacted tribes
“This is a momentous, historic victory for Brazil’s Indigenous peoples and a massive defeat for the agribusiness lobby,” said Watson, adding that the the time limit trick had been part of a “devastating assault” on Indigenous communities and the Amazon.
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