Paulino Guajajara is murdered

Paulino Guajajara, an indigenous forest agent from the Guajajara people in Maranhão State, was ambushed and assassinated by invading loggers inside the Araribóia indigenous reservation. Paulino died from a gunshot wound to his face; another indigenous leader, Laercio Guajajara, was hurt and taken to a hospital. There were reports that one of the loggers also died in the conflict but his body was yet to be located. Paulino had been getting death threats for a while and had requested to join the witness protection service in a state program. “He didn’t have the time,” said Sonia Guajajara, coordinator for the Articulation of the Indigenous People of Brazil (APIB) and a relative of Paulino.