Brazil's Lula takes aim at Bolsonaro's decrees on Indigenous

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says that if he wins the October presidential election, he will revoke decisions by incumbent Jair Bolsonaro affecting Indigenous peoples, including promoting mining on their lands

SAO PAULO -- Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the front-runner so far heading to October’s presidential election, said Tuesday that he would revoke decisions by incumbent Jair Bolsonaro affecting Indigenous peoples, including those that promote mining on their lands.

The leftist leader also pledged to name an Indigenous person as minister for Indigenous affairs should he succeed in winning back the office he held in 2003-2010.

Da Silva told about 7,000 members of Indigenous groups gathered in the capital city of Brasilia that every Bolsonaro "decree that creates problems will have to be revoked immediately.”

“We cannot allow that the achievements coming from your struggle are removed by decrees to give rights to those that think our forests and fauna should end,” da Silva said. “I want to tell you, if we return to the government, nobody in this country will do anything on Indigenous land without your consent, decision or agreement.”