Surui, a Pataxo Indigenous chieftain, with his face painted red to represent fellow indigenous people that have been killed, speaks at the launch of a report on violence against indigenous peoples in Brazil.聽 (AP)
SAO PAULO聽 鈥� The number of invasions of indigenous lands in Brazil has jumped in the first nine months of President Jair Bolsonaro鈥檚 administration, a Brazilian Catholic Church agency said Tuesday.
The Missionary Indigenous Council said illegal miners, loggers and tappers of natural resources are involved in most of the invasions.
The council reported at least 160 cases of 鈥減ossessive invasions, illegal exploitation of natural resources of damage to heritage鈥� on indigenous lands in the first nine months of 2019. There were 111 recorded cases for all of last year under conservative President Michel Temer.
The far-right Bolsonaro, who has the support of Brazil鈥檚 powerful agro-business sector, has often complained that indigenous lands cover too much of Brazil and that development there should be easier. Critics say that encourages invaders seeking to exploit them.
Catholic priest Roque Paloschi, who heads the council, said in a press conference that Bolsonaro鈥檚 鈥渁ggressive rhetoric fuels violence against indigenous land and peoples.鈥�
The council鈥檚 report said 13 of Brazil鈥檚 26 states reported indigenous lands invasions in 2018. This year that figure rose to 19 states.
Roberto Liebgott, a coordinator of the report, said the current situation is 鈥渕ore worrying for indigenous peoples than in any previous administration.鈥�
In his first speech at the United Nations鈥� General Assembly, a pugnacious Bolsonaro denied his administration works against indigenous peoples, insisting they are being used as a tool by non-profit organizations and foreign powers to violate Brazil鈥檚 sovereignty in the Amazon.
鈥淭hose who attack us are not worried about the indigenous peoples, but about the mineral richness鈥� of the Amazon rainforest, Bolsonaro said at the U.N.
His pledge to avoid demarcating indigenous land drew criticism from Amnesty International.
鈥淲e will continue calling on the authorities to fulfill their constitutional and international human rights law obligations to demarcate and protect indigenous lands,鈥� the human rights group said in a statement.