Brazil government prepares new Indigenous land Demarcations

The Brazilian government is preparing new land demarcation processes that could be ready for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to sign before the end of 2026.

Indigenous Peoples Minister Eloy Terena stated that these efforts aim to address rising violence against Guarani Kaiowá communities in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The minister linked the lack of secure land titles to historical conflicts, including murders, threats to poison water, and hit-and-run incidents.

Terena criticized the Military Police for actions that Indigenous residents view as biased toward cattle ranchers. He also noted that the state government of Mato Grosso do Sul failed to follow federal protocols for police actions on Indigenous lands. To address these issues, the government created an interministerial task force and deployed the National Security Force to several villages, including Sassoró and Taquapiri, to provide immediate protection.

The government faces legal hurdles, including the temporal framework law which limits land claims to territories occupied by communities on October 5, 1988. Terena warned that political opposition in Congress could also slow down future demarcation efforts. While the government has already recognized 20 lands, declared 21 others, and established 31 reserves during Lula's third term, many communities still face pressure from agricultural and extractive interests.