Brazilian tribes, forest tappers unite against Bolsonaro

Indigenous leader of the Celia Xakriaba tribe walks next to the Xingu River during a four-day pow wow in Piaracu village, in Xingu Indigenous Park, Mato Grosso state, Brazil on Jan. 15. REUTERS/RICARDO MORAES
Indigenous leader of the Celia Xakriaba tribe walks next to the Xingu River during a four-day pow wow in Piaracu village, in Xingu Indigenous Park, Mato Grosso state, Brazil on Jan. 15. REUTERS/RICARDO MORAES

BRAZIL – Indigenous tribes and rubber tappers joined forces on Wednesday to oppose steps by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro that they said were destroying the Amazon forest they depend on.

Around 450 members of 47 tribes met for a second day to discuss how to resist Bolsonaro’s moves to weaken public agencies which are meant to protect the environment and native land rights.

Bolsonaro said tribes have too much land and he wants to open up the reservations to commercial mining and agriculture to develop the Amazon and lift indigenous people from poverty.(Reuters)

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