Indigenous Tribes: Presidential Candidates Range From Glaring Omissions to Generic Propositions

Only Marina Silva and Guilherme Boulos have detailed plans in their policy proposals on the matter

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Rubens Valente
Brasília

When it comes to Brazilian indigenous people, only two of the 13 presidential candidates go beyond either generic propositions or plain omission. They are Marina Silva (Rede) and Guilherme Boulos (PSOL). 

There are 900,000 indigenous peoples in Brazil, living on over 119 million hectares (445,600 square miles) of reservation land, 

Both Ciro Gomes (PDT) and PT (candidate to be defined) speak in general terms about more land allotments and expanding affirmative action, but don't bring up goals or how the reservations will be protected against threats from Supreme Court decisions and pressure from the Rural Caucus as well as parts of the Executive branch.

Candidate Jair Bolsonaro (PSL), who places first in election polls that exclude Lula, presented his policy proposals without mentioning indigenous peoples or reservations anywhere in the text. His campaign manager, representative Onyx Lorenzoni (DEM-RS) said that if elected, Bolsonaro wouldn’t make more land allotments.

Indigenous woman from São Gabriel da Cachoeira, in the state of Amazônia: only two presidential candidates include policies for native Brazilians in their proposals
Indigenous woman from São Gabriel da Cachoeira, in the state of Amazônia: only two presidential candidates include policies for native Brazilians in their proposals - Folhapress

There are also no mentions of indigenous tribes in the policy proposals of Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB), Álvaro Dias (Podemos), Henrique Meirelles (MDB), João Amoêdo (Novo), Eymael (DC), and Cabo Daciolo (Patriota).

On the other hand, Marina Silva's policy proposals have identified a new source of funding destined to land allotments. The texts propositions the creation of a Land Regularization Fund, to reimburse small farmers who might have been have given land from a native reservation in the past.

Boulos, whose candidate for vice president is Sônia Guajajara, a prominent indigenous leader, brings up the issue in several parts of his proposals. He promises to give additional funding to Funai, Brazil's Bureau of Indian Affairs; to seek forgiveness for "the ethnocide"; build the first indigenous university and finally ratify overdue land allotments and "pay appropriate reparations", an act that would benefit 125,000 native Brazilians.

The proposals from candidates Vera Lúcia (PSTU) and João Goulart Filho (PPL) also mention land allotments, without further details.

Translated by NATASHA MADOV


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