Since Bolsonaro was sworn into Presidency on January 1st 2019 indigenous murders skyrocketed in the Amazonian country. To date over 300 indigenous activists and leaders have mysteriously disappeared.
Meanwhile amid Corona chaos Bolsonaro is stripping Brazil of the laws that should be protecting indigenous rights as well as the largest living ecosystem in the world: the Amazon Rainforest. During his time in power he could destroy this entire rainforest, and seemingly has a mandate to do so. The price Bolsonaro so adamantly seeks? Around $9 Billion worth of gold mining and timber by logging and destroying the Amazon Rainforest. (Check New Yorker article Blood Gold)
Brazil turning a blind eye to climate change?
What stands in his way? These indigenous land right laws, that date back to 1970. For now Bolsonaro has been avoiding these by fuelling illegal miners and ignoring indigenous protestors. But now what better time to change antiquated laws then when the world is preoccupied with a pandemic?
Thankfully there is a glimmer of hope in such shady times.
On November 27, 2019, the Brazilian Human Rights Advocacy Collective (CADHu) and the Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns Human Rights Commission (Arns Commission) delivered a 71-page report to the International Criminal Court in the Hague, accusing Bolsonaro of genocide against indigenous people.
