Apib declares support for Lula in 2nd round of presidential elections; ‘we need to stop the process of destruction’

Gabriel Abreu – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples (Apib) released on Thursday, 13, an open letter in support of the candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in the second round of presidential elections 2022. The position was announced during a press conference held at the headquarters of the Union of Professional Journalists of the Federal District, in Brasilia. The event was attended by the two indigenous federal lawmakers elected to the House in the first round, Célia Xakriabá (PSOL-MG) and Sônia Guajajara (PSOL-SP).

The letter brings in eight points an analysis of the situation of violations against human rights, committed by the current government over the past four years. Among them are: the paralysis of the demarcation of indigenous lands; omission and sluggishness in the assistance to the communities, especially in the period of the Covid-19 pandemic; dismantling of institutions and specific and differentiated public policies guaranteed in the Federal Constitution of 1988; violation of the right of free, prior, and informed consultation assured to the native peoples by the Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO); and proposing anti-indigenous laws, in consonance with the National Congress.

The event brought together representatives of various ethnic groups, members of the executive coordination of Apib, as well as the candidates elected by the Indigenous Bench, Célia Xakriabá (MG) and Sônia Guajajara (SP), and women members of the National Articulation of Indigenous Women Warriors of Ancestrality (Anmiga).

“The indigenous candidacies that were part of Apib’s Indigenous Bench had more than 446,000 votes at the polls. We demonstrated the strength of the collective mobilization to occupy the state and federal legislative houses, heading, especially, the issue of territorial identity through the resumption of the demarcation of territories, the main struggle of the indigenous movement”, says an excerpt from the document.

Lawmaker Sônia Guajajara (PSOL-SP) recalled that indigenous peoples have always been in the fight for their rights, in all governments, and that this fact has never meant ignoring gaps left by previous administrations.

“The vote for president Lula is so that we can have the right to continue fighting for our agendas. We have always been received. While our demands are not being met and our peoples are safe in their territories, we will not stop demanding or demanding this accountability from the Brazilian State. The genocide policy and project of this government is unparalleled in any other historical moment in Brazil. We can not postpone the process of regaining democracy”, said Guajajara.

The letter concludes that it is essential that the indigenous peoples, organizations and leaderships from all regions of the country are fully engaged in the Lula President for Brazil of Hope Campaign. We cannot be intimidated. The right to demonstrate and the free exercise of the vote is guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. Apib affirms that it is necessary to engage in leafleting, flagging, and dialogues with our bases, without violence.

“We’re going to make those who didn’t vote in the first round – who abstained – or those who voted null or blank, aware of this. Finally, we are going to mobilize so that when President Lula is elected we can continue our fight in an autonomous way, in defense of our rights, rescuing our conquests won with much struggle in previous governments. We will build a new horizon, of total respect for our fundamental rights, for our lives and dignity, within the framework of a new relationship with the multi-ethnic and cultural Brazilian State, which still has many debts to pay for the history of violence and death, physical and cultural, that for centuries victimized our peoples and communities”, she concluded.

ATL 2022

28 years ago, in 1994, the organizations of the indigenous peoples of Brazil were advocating for democracy with President Lula. On that occasion, the leader Fausto Mandulão, from Roraima, delivered a manifesto, requesting the protection of constitutional rights to land, health, education, and representation of the peoples in government bodies.

In April of this year, Apib released a letter of commitment addressed to then pre-candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, during the 18th edition of the Free Land Camping (Acampamento Terra Livre in portuguese, ATL), the largest national indigenous mobilization that brought together more than 8,000 relatives of 200 different peoples.

“At this moment, we are a unified movement. We came to break with the racism of offense, to take back the Brazil that was torn from us; Brazil never existed without our presence. Our candidacy brought a different reflection: we saw people who voted for women and for other presidential candidates. Now, there are not two agendas, it’s not about party, but about life plan or death plan”, said the elected lawmaker from the Indigenous Bench, Célia Xakriabá (PSOL-MG).

On the occasion, the indigenous movement announced the five axes of action necessary to ensure the defense of fundamental rights of indigenous peoples in Brazil: Indigenous territorial rights: demarcation and protection of indigenous territories (Axis 1); Resumption of indigenous participation and social control spaces (Axis 2); Reconstruction of indigenous policies and institutions (Axis 3); Interruption of the anti-indigenous agenda in the federal Congress (Axis 4) and Environmental Agenda (Axis 5).