Brasilia, April 13 – Former Brazilian President, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva visited the Free Territory (ATL) camp on Tuesday, which has been established since April 4 in that nation’s capital, Brasilia, coordinated by the Expression of the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (Apib), Telesur News portal reports .
The tour is part of Lula’s agenda in the capital, as he arrived on Monday as Labor’s presidential candidate for three days of talks with representatives from various political fronts.
The meetings come within the framework of the solidarity campaign for the upcoming October elections. Lula is expected to return to Sao Paulo on Wednesday evening.
ATL achieved the largest mobilization in its history this year, bringing nearly 8,000 people from about 180 indigenous communities to Brasilia, where they will stay until April 14.
During this edition, said mobilization focuses on increasing the representation of indigenous peoples in decision-making settings
The day of protests also denounced the federal government’s neglect of the problems of these communities, as there are delays in vaccination against COVID-19 and an increase in the invasion of their lands.
During President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration, indigenous invaders expanded illegal logging and mining, polluting the homeland of these peoples and reducing their livelihoods.
Specifically, on Monday, thousands of indigenous people walked through the Ministries Square in Brasilia until they reached the headquarters of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, in the so-called “march against Garimpo (illegal mining) killing and deforestation”.
This collective action occurred in the context of final debates in the National Congress for texts such as Bill 191/2020, which authorizes mining on indigenous lands.