Brazil: Brazil’s Supreme Court has blocked attempts to reduce Indigenous land rights. It marks a significant win for the country’s native populations as activists celebrate this historic achievement.
Out of the court’s 11 members, nine voted against the “time limit trick,” a move supported by agribusiness that aimed to hinder Indigenous communities from claiming land they weren’t inhabited in 1988, as labeled by rights groups.
Outside the Supreme Court in Brasília on September 21, 2023, a majority rallied behind a ruling in favor of Indigenous rights. Activists expressed their joy through tears and dancing.
“Long live Indigenous resistance,” tweeted Mr. Eloy Terena, an Indigenous lawyer who is a senior official at Brazil’s recently created minister for Indigenous peoples.
Similar joyful scenes occurred across the Amazon region, where approximately half of Brazil’s 1.7 million Indigenous citizens reside.
“Victory for struggle, a victory for rights, a victory for our history, Brazil is Indigenous territory and the future is ancestral,” Indigenous congresswoman Ms. Célia Xakriabá tweeted.
Brazil’s Minister for Indigenous Peoples, Ms. Sônia Guajajara, celebrated a significant accomplishment, labeling it a result of years of struggle and protest.
Only two Supreme Court justices, Mr. Kassio Nunes Marques and Mr. André Mendonça, supported the “marco temporal” (time marker) thesis, limiting Indigenous land claims. Both were appointed to the Supreme Court by the previous far-right president, Mr. Jair Bolsonaro.
Activists accused Mr. Bolsonaro of undermining Indigenous territories by dismantling protection agencies and promoting anti-Indigenous and anti-environmental stances. Prior to joining the court, Mr. Mendonça served as Mr. Bolsonaro’s justice minister.
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