“It’s been so many years of waiting and fighting, so many years of persecution and crying. But today, our cry is one of joy,” celebrates Kerexu Yxapyry, an Indigenous leader from Morro dos Cavalos. She says that the community is gathered to celebrate the fact that their right has finally been recognized. “Our community is gathered in the Opy, the house of prayer, for a ceremony to thank for this victory.”
At the event to sign the decrees, the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Ricardo Lewandowski, stressed that the Federal Government is fulfilling a duty imposed by the Brazilian Constitution and recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples. He highlighted the importance of the recognition of Indigenous lands for environmental preservation. “We are protecting the environment. It has already been scientifically proven that where they are settled, where they have possession of the land, the environment is better protected,” said Lewandowski.
Lula pointed out that he still has two years left in office, and during this period, he intends to homologate other areas to end the current administration as “the guy who has recognized the most Indigenous lands in this country.” The Minister for Indigenous Peoples, Sônia Guajajara, recalled the promise made during the transition of governments in 2022 when the Lula transition team listed 14 Indigenous lands that were ready for approval.
“With this act, only one area remains pending from what was agreed during the transition period. And we are confident that, by the end of the year, we will reach 100%,” said the minister. So far, the Lula government team has demarcated 13 Indigenous areas.
The Potiguara of Monte-Mor Indigenous Land, in the cities of Rio Tinto and Marcação, in the state of Paraíba, covers 7,530 hectares and is home to 5,799 inhabitants of the Potiguara Indigenous people. In Santa Catarina, the Morro dos Cavalos Indigenous Land, in the city of Palhoça, has an area of 1,983 hectares with 200 inhabitants from the Guarani Mbya and Nhandeva Indigenous peoples. The Toldo Imbu Indigenous Land, in Abelardo Luz, has 731 residents from the Kaingang people, who live in an area of 1,960 hectares.
The ceremony was also attended by Minister Márcio Macêdo, from the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic; the president of the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI, in Portuguese), Joenia Wapichana; the National Secretary for Access to Justice and the secretaries for Indigenous Health and for Indigenous Territorial Rights, the chief-general of the Potiguara People, the chief Babau Tupinambá, the Potiguara leader and a representative from the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples (Apib, in Portuguese) also attended the ceremony.