Yanomami: Bolsonaro’s weight in the crisis goes beyond omission – 01/24/2023 – Bruno Boghossian
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An omitted ruler can achieve the feat of transforming a historic problem into a serious crisis, practically without making any effort. But negligence becomes almost a virtue when compared to actions capable of producing tragedy.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro’s policy for indigenous peoples would be the envy of countries led by purely incompetent politicians. The dramatic situation registered in the Yanomami land is the reflection of a consistent sequence of decisions taken to favor illegal activities and increase the vulnerability of the peoples that live in the region.
If Bolsonaro had just ignored programs and bodies responsible for the area, the Yanomami would have been forced to live with a critical scenario they have known for decades, but the damage would have been less. The government not only dismantled this protection network, but also encouraged actors who represent a threat to the health of these peoples.
Bolsonaro has always directed a clear stimulus to mining on indigenous lands, even when this activity took place outside the law. The president and his assistants made inspection difficult and issued statements that guaranteed impunity to those who intended to invade the region.
Several factors have damaged the health of the Yanomami over the years, but illegal mining has an acute impact on this population. “It is the worsening of a crisis that has historical origins”, says physician Paulo César Basta, a specialist in the health of indigenous peoples.
Contamination by mercury, the proliferation of mosquitoes that transmit diseases such as malaria, the escape of game animals, diversion of the course of rivers, restriction of space for growing food and the introduction of drugs and alcohol in communities are some of the effects observed in mining regions.
As in the environment, in managing the pandemic and in other areas, the Bolsonaro government chose a path that increased the risks to the population. Your responsibility goes far beyond omission.
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