Following reports of political violence, ministers visited the region.
Brazil plans to expand the National Force’s presence across the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and increase its personnel to ensure the protection of Guarani Kaiowá indigenous villages.
Political violence has been reported in the region since last week’s runoff election, in which Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was reelected.
According to the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI), at least five cases involving the murder of indigenous people in the region since Saturday (Oct. 24) – the day before the second round of the election – are under investigation.
CIMI coordinator in Mato Grosso do Sul, Matias Benno Rempel, says that indigenous people reported several cases of intimidation during the election. “Pickup trucks drove through the territory, and there were also attacks on indigenous people in an attempt to spread panic in the community and prevent them from voting.”
During a visit to Sassoró village, near the border with Paraguay, on Saturday (31), Justice and Public Security Minister Wellington César Lima e Silva announced an increase in troop numbers. He was accompanied by Indigenous Peoples Minister Eloy Terena and Human Rights Minister Janine Mello.
“The National Force will receive reinforcements in addition to its current personnel. It is also adopting a procedure that I consider very important, which they call ‘minute-by-minute.’ Its personnel will remain on the ground and on standby in the operational area, ready to respond to any serious incident or suspected criminal activity. They will be deployed at the request of the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police, or state law enforcement agencies,” said the Minister of Justice.
According to him, the “Minute-by-Minute” program will provide information through images, identify the type of incident, and, whenever possible, indicate those responsible and the nature of the crime.
Threats after the election
The delegation traveled to the region after reports of violence against indigenous peoples in Mato Grosso do Sul gained attention on social media following the election. The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) has documented more than 30 cases.
The Sassoró indigenous village was threatened with the poisoning of its water supply, according to an audio message circulated in chat groups in the city of Tacuru. A municipal government employee is suspected of involvement.
Eloy Terena stated that the Federal Police had already questioned the suspects and that water quality monitoring would be stepped up. He emphasized that the reports received needed to be investigated, as some of the cases had occurred at other times.
“We received 10 cases after filtering through everything that came in. Of those 10 cases, four are here in Mato Grosso do Sul – so far. Of course, this is a preliminary investigation. Only this poisoning case has a direct link to a politically motivated crime,” Terena said.
The Ministry of Human Rights announced that it will make the Protection Program available to the victims of these cases. More than 80 indigenous people from Mato Grosso do Sul are already enrolled in the program, according to the ministry.