Bolsonaro’s Legacy to Lula: Illegal Mining Infests Indigenous Lands

Former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro's government left a legacy to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's third term, which began on January 1, 2023: the infestation of illegal gold mining on Indigenous lands, triggered by Bolsonaro's discourse and acts of government.

Lula, during his campaign, said gold mining would not be allowed on Indigenous lands. The promise was reaffirmed after he was elected.

To undo these invasions will be complex, given the dimensions of the gold mines and the co-optation of Indigenous people to this process.

This project maps these invasions and determines the scale of the challenge of the new government, offering elements, based on journalistic research, about what needs to be done.

Also, reports map and visit the villages where miners are settling, exploiting gold, and destroying the basic conditions of the life, traditionality, and routines of the Indigenous people.