Valuing, recognizing and respecting indigenous peoples are on Roberto Cidade’s agenda

President of Aleam

Deputy to remain attentive to the demands of indigenous peoples, in addition to highlighting the importance of regional roots

Partial data from the 2022 Demographic Census, carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), indicate that a greater number of Brazilians began to identify themselves as having indigenous ancestry. In just over a decade, the population that considers itself indigenous has grown by at least 66% in Brazil, jumping from almost 900,000 people in 2010 to over 1.4 million.

Born in Manaus and raised between the capital and Manicoré, in the Middle Amazon, state deputy Roberto Cidade (União Brasil), president of the Legislative Assembly of Amazonas (Aleam), has sought, during his mandate, to remain attentive to the demands of the indigenous peoples, in addition to highlighting the importance of regional roots.

And among the initiatives that seek this appreciation is Law No. 5492/2021, which creates the International Day of Indigenous Women. According to Cidade, in Brazil, indigenous women have historically played a fundamental role as agents of change in families, communities and in the lives of the people, therefore, nothing fairer than highlighting their importance in the form of the law.

“Our work for Amazonian women is daily, we have several initiatives that aim to guarantee more safety and respect for all, whether women from the capital, the interior, the rural area. Not only physical and emotional security, but also identity. To the women of the Amazon, to the indigenous people, all our respect”, she said.

Cidade also recalls that in Brazil and in the countries of the Southern Cone, indigenous women have historically played a fundamental role as agents of change in families, communities and in the lives of the people.

“For this reason, it is important that in Amazonas, too, we recognize and value this memory of resistance of indigenous women”, she continued.

Organic law of São Gabriel da Cachoeira

Another initiative of the parliamentarian, as President of the House, is the review and update of the organic laws of the municipalities of Amazonas and the first to be submitted to this work was the Organic Law of the Municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira (distant 851 kilometers from Manaus) .

Carried out by city councilors, supervised by employees of the Interior Technical Cooperation Center (CCoti), of the Legislative House, the work allowed indigenous issues involving the 23 ethnic groups of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, with their sociocultural specificities, to gain the necessary guidelines to better serve the municipality, considering that it is the most indigenous city in Brazil, where nine out of ten inhabitants are indigenous.

“This is the first Organic Law in the Amazon that looks at the indigenous issue as it should and deserves to be treated. I am happy and honored that, as president of Aleam, I was the one who did justice to the indigenous people of the São Gabriel region, strengthening and better directing the work of councilors in fulfilling the mission entrusted to them by the people. I know that we still have a lot to do to repair and recognize the importance of indigenous peoples in our history and I consider it important that we have already taken steps in this direction in our first term. It will also be like this in the next one, which starts next month”, reinforced Cidade.

*With advisory information

Read more:

Roberto Cidade reinforces Aleam’s participation in Unale conference

Leprosy awareness campaign is supported by Aleam

TJAM projects are approved by Aleam’s CCJR