Army will build two temporary military bases in Yanomami territory

The Army reported this Friday (16) that it will build two temporary military bases and reinforce its operations in the Yanomami indigenous territory, located in the states of Amazonas and Roraima, close to the border with Venezuela. According to the Land Operations Command (COTER), the intention is to “expand the logistical capacity of various agencies on the Mucajaí and Uraricoera rivers, thus increasing the repression of illegal mining in the region.”

The objective of the reinforcement is to intensify permanent and emergency actions in the region. The Army will build, this semester, two temporary interagency bases, which integrate several bodies related to the government. These bases have been successfully used in the past to receive refugees from Venezuela during Operation Acolhida.

In addition, the force will also build two Special Border Detachments (DEF), which should become active in the region by the end of this year. These deployments will be used to increase Brazil’s military presence on the border with Venezuela. This happens at a time of heightened tensions with the Venezuelan threat to invade Guyana.

In addition to the announced reinforcement, the Army is already carrying out humanitarian initiatives in the region. In one of them, it has already delivered more than five thousand food baskets to communities in Yanomami Land and another 15 thousand should be delivered by the end of March, according to a statement sent to the reporter.

The decision to reinforce operations in indigenous territory comes after the death of three miners there and the humanitarian crisis that is ravaging the region. Since the beginning of last year, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) has invested in a task force to support the region, which has not had any effect. The Federal Government was also accused by the Federal Court of Roraima of “inertia” in relation to the crisis among the Yanomami people.

For the PT member, the crisis that is plaguing the indigenous territory belongs to his predecessor, former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL). Lula still accuses him of trying to commit “genocide” against the Yanomami. However, the People’s Gazette has already published data showing that the ethnic crisis has occurred at least since the beginning of the 2000s and was used by Lula at the beginning of his term to attack Bolsonaro.

On the other hand, the current government’s measures also did not resolve the crisis. Funai employees even went on strike and suspended inspections in the region. Lula then appealed to the Army to try to resolve the problem.

Recent actions promoted by the Army aim to reverse this situation in the region occupied by the Yanomami ethnic group. In addition to reinforcement actions, the force provides permanent patrolling of the border in indigenous territory.