Indigenous leaders in Brazil fear retaliation from miners
Located in the upper reaches of the Tapajós river, in the northern state of Pará, the Munduruku territory covers 2,382 thousand hectares and is one of the three indigenous areas with 95 percent of all illegal mining in Brazil, alongside the Yanomami and Kayapó regions. The activities have intensified in the region since 2016.As it stands today, a total of 18 Munduruku leaders are under threat of death, a survey by the indigenous people themselves indicate. Among the leaders forced to leave their homes due to pressure from criminals is Maria Leusa Munduruku, coordinator of the Munduruku Women’s Association Wakoborũn. She says she made the decision to go into hiding for the first time during former President Bolsonaro’s administration.She has faced threats since 2018. On two occasions, s...