Indigenous people angry over ‘ridiculous’ Bolsonaro medal

Justice Minister Anderson Torres on Wednesday distributed a medal “in recognition of their great altruistic services to the well-being, protection and defense of indigenous communities” to nearly 30 people, including President Jair Bolsonaro and Torres himself, AFP reports.

The declaration was met with heavy criticism from many indigenous leaders, who believe that Bolsonaro is not working for their well-being at all.

Instead, they say, the president is trying to force indigenous peoples off their lands while promoting environmental degradation and allowing widespread deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.

“As if all our misfortunes were not enough, this barbaric government has now created another: the Medal of Merit for Jair Bolsonaro and his allies for their ‘important’ services to the indigenous peoples’,” tweeted Sonia Guajara of the Indigenous Peoples Association. All ‘ridiculous’.

Since Bolsonaro took office in 2019, indigenous peoples have staged major protests against, among other things, increasing deforestation and fires in the Amazon, as well as the president’s attempt to legalize mining on indigenous lands.

The medal has traditionally been awarded to academics and asset leaders.