Bolsonaro threatens Funai

On a video streaming live from the presidential palace, president Bolsonaro once again attacked indigenous rights, NGOs and Ibama, and threatened to cut off the entire group of directors of Funai, the National Indigenous Foundation. Five indigenous individuals participated in the video - they were introduced to the president by a secretary of the minister of Agriculture, who is linked to big rural landowners; some of them made statements about wanting to “produce in their lands”.

Bolsonaro again declared his support to allow mining and gold digging inside Indigenous reserves, claiming that the richness under the soil attracts NGOs with vested international interests. According to the president, NGOs are engaged with Ibama agents on a “fines and infractions industry” because they want to receive part of the money. “NGOs act on their own behalf, they are not working for the indigenous people”, he said. “Indigenous people will remain in poverty? Enslaved by NGOs, enslaved by political parties, by deputies, by senators who are committed to you, who use you to take advantage. We want your freedom”, he said to his indigenous guests. It is worth noting that this live streaming happened a week before thousands of indigenous communities gathered in Brasilia for Acampamento Terra Livre, one of the largest indigenous mobilizations in the world.