Brazil Awards Indigenous Merit to Pres. Jair Bolsonaro; Groups Blast Move Calling It 'Absurd'

A government agency in Brazil on Wednesday awarded President Jair Bolsonaro the "medal of Indigenous merit," a move that was slammed by ethnic leaders the same day.

According to Al Jazeera, the said award was given by Brazil's Justice Ministry through Justice Minister Anderson Torres to Bolsonaro and other administration officials on Wednesday.

The decree published in the country's official gazette underscored that the award is given to Bolsonaro and other honorees for protecting and defending Indigenous communities, per France 24.

Aside from Bolsonaro, 25 other honorees were also given the said award. France 24 noted that Brazil's Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina, Defense Minster Walter Braga Netto, and Infrastructure Minister Tarcisio Gomes were among the awardees on Wednesday.

Traditionally, Brazil's medal of Indigenous merits is awarded to academics and environmentalists. The previous awardees of this recognition include anthropologist Darcy Ribeiro and Chief and Environmentalist Raoni Matuktire.

Indigenous Groups Slam the Award Given to Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro

As Bolsonaro accepted the "medal of indigenous merit" award on Wednesday, several ethnic groups hit back on the recognition given to the Brazilian president.

In a statement, Association of Brazil's Indigenous Peoples (APIB) national coordinator, Sonia Guajajara, called the move from the Justice Ministry "absurd."

"As if all the reversals we've had weren't enough, this barbaric dis-government has now added another: a medal of merit for Jair Bolsonaro and his allies for their 'significant' services to Indigenous peoples," Guajajara said, per Al Jazeera.

It was not the first time that Guajajara's organization go against Bolsonaro, as they brought a case against the president last year over his "anti-Indigenous policies" and accused the chief executive of "genocide" and "ecocide," per France 24.

It can be recalled that Indigenous leaders and their allies have accused the Brazilian president of forcing Indigenous people out from their land through promoting environmental destruction and allowing the further deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.

Meanwhile, The Congressional Environmental Front said that their leader, Lower-House Deputy Alessandro Molon, filed a motion in Congress to annul the decree awarded to Bolsonaro.

Molon pointed out that it was outrageous that the same government that tried to legalize mining on native lands and placed the lives of Indigenous people at risk have received the medal.

Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro Under Fire for Pushing to Legalize Mining on Indigenous Reservations

A day before the awarding, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro was criticized by major mining firms for pushing to legalize mining on Indigenous reservations, such as those located in the Amazon Rainforest, according to France 24.

Al Jazeera noted that the government hoped to fast-track a bill that would allow mining and oil exploration on Indigenous reservations protected by Brazil's constitution, amid the Ukraine-Russia war that affected the country's supplies of fertilizers.

The largest firm was represented by the Brazilian Mining Institute (IBRAM) said that the bill was "inappropriate."

The group said that they believe that the move from Bolsonaro's administration should be "fought rigorously."

The group furthered that they believe "industrial mining is viable anywhere in Brazil," but it should be subjected to several regulations, such as viability studies, geological analyses, and environmental licenses.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

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