Lula nominates Joenia Wapichana for presidency of Funai| Photo: reproduction

The lawyer and former federal deputy Joenia Wapichana (Rede-RO) took over, this Wednesday (1), the position of president of the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai). The nomination was published in the Official Gazette (DOU) and signed by the Minister of Civil Affairs Rui Costa.

Wapichana is the first indigenous woman to preside over the entity that works to promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples throughout the national territory. She takes office in the midst of the Yanomami crisis and criticism of the actions of the government of former President Jair Bolsonaro, in relation to indigenous territories.

On Twitter, the former congresswoman thanked President Lula for her confidence, who invited her in December of last year, and stressed that “there will be many challenges, but together we will work and rebuild our house”. During the Lula administration, Funai ceased to be subordinated to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and became part of the unprecedented structure of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, which is commanded by Sônia Guajajara (PSol-SP).

In an interview with Rede Amazônica, she said that one of the management’s priorities will be to remove the miners from the Yanomami Land and guarantee the safety of the indigenous people who live in the territory. According to the new president, the government will work so that the processes of demarcation and inspection of indigenous lands in the country are resumed “within a work plan”, in addition to inhibiting the advance of invaders in the territories.