Brazil gov’t authorizes use of national force on indigenous land

Brasilia, Jun 14 (Prensa Latina) The Brazilian Government on Monday authorized the use of the National Public Security Force in the Yanomami indigenous territory, in the country's northern region, scene of armed conflicts between illegal miners and indigenous people.

June 14, 2021
13:46

The decree, published this Monday in the Official Journal of the Union, was signed by Minister of Justice and Public Security Anderson Torres. It is valid for 90 days and extendable.

According to the document, the support by the National Force will be destined to ‘essential activities and services for the preservation of public order and the safety of people and properties.’

The region is located on the banks of the Uraricoera River, in Alto Alegre, in the northern state of Roraima.

A March report by the Hutukara Yanomami Association revealed that illegal mining, one of the main causes of the environmental destruction in the Amazon rainforest, grew by 30 percent in 2020 in the Yanomami lands, which is equivalent to 500 soccer fields.

A Federal Police report published in January 2021 indicated that there are about 20,000 active miners in that area.

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