Brazil attributes the attacks on Bolsonaro's indigenist policies to the interests of manipulating the Indians

FUNAI rejects the criticism and defends that they acted "quickly" in the search for the indigenista Pereira and the journalist Phillips

Da Silva maintains that Bolsonaro's "cruel" words about the disappearance were a "misinterpretation" by the press

MADRID, 20 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The president of the government's National Indian Foundation (FUNAI), Marcelo Augusto Xavier da Silva, has pointed out that if the indigenous development policies of the Government of Brazil are so attacked, it is because they question "the interests" of those who have always used these communities as a "manipulating mass".

"If an indigenous wants to make a sustainable development plan within their area, which is environmentally correct, why can't they?" asked Da Silva, who has assured that once these people are "self-sufficient" they are no longer under "the interests" of those who have always manipulated them.

"Some are interested in selling the image of the ragged indigenous, the humiliated indigenous, the lazy indigenous," Da Silva told Europa Press on his way through Madrid to attend the XVI General Assembly of the Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC), which will be held at the Brazilian Embassy on Thursday 21 and Friday 22.

Da Silva has defended the indigenous policy model of the Government of Jair Bolsonaro as "a new format of reality", away from the traditional "paternalism of the State" that until now had treated indigenous people as "incapable" and "dispossessed of rights".

"We cannot impose on the indigenous people who do want to develop that they do not do so," he said, questioning those who want to assume the role of sole spokesperson for a group made up of a "wide range" of 304 ethnic groups and more than 270 languages.

"In this ethnic plurality it is impossible for a single institution to exist, or for some to position themselves as owners of the truth of Brazil's indigenist policy," he argued when asked about the numerous criticisms that environmental and indigenist policies have received. of Bolsonaro within the collectives and groups that defend the rights of the original peoples.

"I have the support of many indigenous communities in Brazil and the truth of what is happening in Brazil is not reaching here," lamented Da Silva, who has minimized the criticism of the FUNAI workers who already organized a strike a month ago. to demand his resignation for his policies and words in relation to the disappearance and murder of indigenist Bruno Pereira and British journalist Dom Phillips.

In relation to this, Da Silva has defended "the speed" and "the seriousness" with which the Government acted when it learned of these disappearances. Both were sailing through the Yavarí Valley, one of the most inaccessible areas of the Brazilian Amazon, home not only to the largest concentration of uncontacted indigenous peoples, but also the scene of one of the largest illegal trafficking routes for raw materials and cocaine since Peru heading to Europe.

"The investigation was carried out quite quickly. The government acted very promptly (...) a total of 300 people were deployed for the search, which was completed in approximately ten days," he stressed.

When asked about the lack of personnel and resources denounced by FUNAI, he insisted that investment has not stopped growing in the last three years, when his controversial appointment became official, since he was criticized by indigenous groups and applauded by the ruralist caucus that defends the interests of agribusiness in Congress.

One of the reasons that led to the call for a strike at FUNAI was the "false" explanations --according to a sector of the civil servants-- given by Da Silva when he was questioned about the disappearance of Pereira and Phillips. On that occasion, as now, he has stressed that they were not aware of this fateful undertaking undertaken by the indigenista and the journalist.

"It is important to mention that we were not made aware of that expedition. He was not even working for FUNAI, he had a leave of absence. FUNAI did not issue any authorization and was not aware of the threats he had been suffering because he was not under our service", he resolved.

The operations, he explained, are carried out jointly with the police and military forces and that the authorization, as the Union of Indigenous Peoples of the Yavarí Valley (UNIVAJA) for whom Pereira worked at that time, had alleged, was processed by a local regional coordinator.

"Who gave this authorization to enter the indigenous area was the local regional coordinator of Atalaya del Norte - a municipality in the middle of the Yavarí Valley -. It was not accepted in Brasilia. We only found out after the disappearance. This process never went through the headquarters in Brasilia", he said.

"That expedition was a very risky activity. FUNAI did not authorize that operation (...). So much so that when I went to take stock of the situation, I asked to see the process and it was authorized solely and exclusively by the regional unit," has insisted.

Da Silva explained that FUNAI has 39 regional coordinations and that although they have administrative and financial autonomy, "in case of risk, it is assumed that the best way to advance administratively" is with the participation of Brasilia. "That was what was not done," he has settled.

Pereira had been working for FUNAI for years, but in 2021 he requested a leave of absence without pay, alleging that the atmosphere that came from the high levels of this government office was hostile and that not enough was being done to implement indigenous policies that would make a difference.

However, Da Silva points out that the internal affairs services were unaware of these complaints and that although Pereira considered that bad practices were being carried out at FUNAI, he should have brought it to the attention of the Prosecutor's Office and the rest of the competent authorities.

Not only the supposed delay of the authorities was criticized by a part of the Brazilian and international society. What caused the most outrage were the "cruel" words, according to Amnesty International, that President Bolsonaro uttered when the search was being carried out.

For Da Silva, that Bolsonaro affirmed that if Pereira and Phillips fell into the river "little will be left over" and that "that Englishman was frowned upon" for his work denounced to the 'garimpeiros' (irregular gold miners), are expressions that have been "misunderstood by the press".

"The situation there was very risky. I think the action should have been communicated to the base and carried out with police support, not the way it was done," he expressed along the same lines as Bolsonaro.

In relation to the criticism that Bolsonaro has received for his indigenist policies, Da Silva has insisted that they are the government that "has made the greatest investment" and has wondered why then "many" of the indigenous communities that live on the border with Venezuela they migrate to Brazil.

"Let's suppose that Brazil has a 'bad' indigenist policy, then why are they leaving Venezuela for Brazil? It's absurd, it doesn't make sense," he said, warning of the complexity of facing a crisis of "indigenous refugees" from Venezuela.

"They flee from hunger (...). In Venezuela they are expelled (...) and I don't see international organizations talking about this matter," he protested.