The conservative-majority Brazilian Senate on Thursday passed a bill that lands a devastating blow to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s powers to protect indigenous communities, isolated tribes as well as the environment.
The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 51 to nine which removes the power of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples to demarcate new reserves, which now returns to the Ministry of Justice. Additionally, the Ministry of Environment is also set to lose its oversight over the registration of rural lands which was necessary to combat illegal deforestation.
Notably, it was only after Lula ascended to power earlier this year that he created the country’s first-ever Ministry of Indigenous Peoples. However, the powers granted to the ministries were provisional and needed congressional approval to become permanent.
WATCH | Brazil’s Lula spoke to Putin, turned down invitation to visit Russia
One of the biggest poll planks of Lula during the presidential election trail was to protect the Amazons, the indigenous people and keep Brazil corruption free. He faced stiff competition from former president Jair Bolsonaro but managed to achieve a narrow win, before finally clearing several political hurdles to become the top lawmaker. However, the inability to work with the conservatives has come back to haunt him.
He could still veto parts of the measure but they will return to the Congress and it looks highly unlikely that he will have his way over there.
Reality check for Lula
The passing of the bill has come as a reality check for Lula after his idealism collided with political number power. Despite his noble intentions, the truth is that Lula has no base in Congress beyond the left and centre-left parties, experts say. The conservatives used the strength of Congress and managed to pin down Lula.
With Lula’s power gone, it opens the door to the construction of rampant infrastructure projects on protected indigenous lands which could put the tribal population and their already-dwindling culture in peril. While Lula licks his wounds, Indigenous leaders and environmentalists are worried about the future.
“You will have Indigenous blood on your hands,” Indigenous congresswoman Célia Xakriabá was quoted as saying in the parliament during the voting.
Meanwhile, the Climate Observatory watchdog took a scathing view of developments and said it was the “most shameful day” the Brazilian parliament had witnessed “since the 2016 impeachment of Dilma Rousseff”.
“Bolsonaro is gone but the extermination [of Indigenous communities and the environment] continues,” it added.
(With inputs from agencies)
