Brazilian government to expand National Force on Yanomami land

Brazil’s Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Flavio Dino, announced on Thursday (May 4), that the Brazilian government will deploy an additional 220 agents of the National Security Force to the Yanomami territory. These agents will assist in the removal of illegal miners from this indigenous land in the state of Roraima.

"We are talking about a total of almost 500 members of the National Force, the Federal Highway Police, and the Federal Police dedicated exclusively to Roraima so that there is the conclusion of this removal. This is the most complex phase in which we have the presence of members of criminal factions in this territory,” Flavio Dino stated during a press conference. 

On April 30, a violent clash occurred on the Yanomami land between miners and agents of the Federal Highway Police and the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama). The conflict arose after attacks on the territory had been reported. Several miners were killed in the confrontation, and their bodies were discovered at the scene. Indigenous leaders reported that three Yanomami people had been shot the day before, on Saturday afternoon. One of the victims, a health agent who was working in the community, died at the scene, while the other two were treated at the local health care unit and then transferred to the General Hospital of Roraima, where they remain hospitalized. 

Investigations suggest that a criminal faction may be in control of the mines in the area. Sunday's attack marks the fourth instance of aggression against Ibama teams since the retaking of Yanomami territory began on February 6. 

Following the recent attacks in Roraima, the federal government sent an inter-ministerial committee to the region to investigate the situation on the ground.