By occupying the building, the women reaffirmed "the position of our peoples against any prospect of municipalization or privatization of indigenous healthcare."

Approximately 1,500 women from 113 Indigenous tribes of Brazil occupied the headquarters of the Special Secretariat of Indigenous Health (Sesai) Monday in the country’s capital Brasilia in defense of the differentiated healthcare subsystem of Indigenous peoples.

"We are here representing those who have not yet come to say that we will never accept any imposition of the destructive agenda of Bolsonaro’s government," Indigenous leader Sonia Guajajara said.

In a statement released after the occupation, which takes place in the midst of the activities of the first March of Indigenous Women, they expressed repudiation “of Bolsonaro government's purpose of dismantling all social institutions and policies that concern us.”

The document, signed by the Brazilian Indigenous Peoples Association, denounces Provisional Measure (MP) 890, issued by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro to create the Doctors for Brazil Program, replacing the Cuban-Brazilian initiative More Doctors Program.

As well as the proposal to institute the Agency for the Development of Primary Health Care (ADAPS), which, for indigenous women, seeks to “open primary care as a market for the private sector,” in a bid to take free differentiated healthcare away from the Indigenous subsystem.

By protesting and occupying the Sesai’s building in Brasilia, the women reaffirmed "the position of our peoples against any prospect of municipalization or privatization of indigenous healthcare."

Mulheres indígenas ocupam o Ministério da Saúde! A luta é em defesa do subsistema de saúde indígena. Atividade faz parte da 1ª Marcha das Mulheres Indígenas em Brasília. Vídeo: Kamikia Kisedje #marchadasmulheresindigenas #nenhumagotaamais pic.twitter.com/mptAru5FoI — Cimi (@ciminacional) August 12, 2019

Indigenous women occupy the Ministry of Health. Thus begins the week with the 1st March of Indigenous Women in Brasilia.

On March 26, in a similar manner, Indigenous people occupied the building of the Ministry of Health in Curitiba, joining other protests in Bahia, Porto Velho, Brasilia, and all over the country. With their banners raised, hundreds of demonstrators emphatically called for “more health, more rights, and more respect.”

“The Indigenous health subsystem is a conquest of ours, it has to do with our struggle. It does not belong to a party or certain politics, as it was built by us," Guarani Indigenous leader, Eloi Jacinto, told Brazil de Fato back in March.

The Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health is responsible for coordinating and implementing the National Policy on Health Care for Indigenous Peoples. Its mission is to implement a decentralized care model within the 34 Special Indigenous Health Districts.

According to the last census (2010) done by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, approximately 817,000 Brazilians classified themselves as Indigenous, occupy 12.6% of the national territory, and speak 274 different languages. It is for this, and to break down the cultural and linguistic barrier, the Sesai created the figure of Indigenous health agents, people from the community who link ancestral health and the state system.

The Federal Government proposes to close down the Sesai and municipalize these services and Indigenous healthcare. “The municipalization will damage our health because they are not able to support the Indigenous health subsystem”, argued Jacinto.

This proposal aligns with the path of the anti-Indigenous policies that Brazil is embarking on as part of its current neoliberal and far-right government. </s> Hundreds of women from different indigenous communities launched a day of protests in Brasilia this Monday demanding that the administration of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro provide better healthcare in their territories, which they consider threatened by current government policies.

The Indigenous Women's March began with a gathering in front of the Health Ministry, whose entrance was blocked for a couple of hours by dozens of police due to the authorities' fear of disturbances, though no violence occurred. </s> Hundreds of indigenous women occupied a building of Brazil's health ministry in the capital, Brasília, on Monday to protest against the policies of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

Image copyright Reuters

The group of some 300 protesters demanded better healthcare for indigenous people, especially women, and condemned proposed changes to how these services are delivered.

The Bolsonaro government wants to make towns and cities responsible for providing medical services to indigenous people, and community leaders fear local authorities lack the infrastructure and specialised units required.

The federal government is currently in charge of healthcare, and indigenous communities are visited by specially trained professionals.

Image copyright AFP

The protesters, who are in the city for the first March of Indigenous Women, sang and danced inside and outside the building of the Special Secretariat of Indigenous Health, known as Sesai.

"We've been left abandoned. They treat indigenous people like animals," 43-year-old Teresa Cristina Kezonazokere told Correio Braziliense newspaper (in Portuguese).

The demonstration ended almost 10 hours later, when Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said he would talk to some of their leaders. There were no reports of violence.

Image copyright Reuters

Organisers say the event in Brasília aims to highlight the role of women in indigenous communities. On Wednesday, some 1,500 indigenous women from 110 ethnic groups are expected to join a protest to defend rights they say are under threat under Mr Bolsonaro.

"We don't have to accept the destruction of our rights," said indigenous leader Sônia Guajajara.

Image copyright Reuters

The president has promised to integrate indigenous people into the rest of the population and repeatedly questioned the existence of their protected reserves, which are rights guaranteed in the country's constitution.

Mr Bolsonaro, who supports policies that favour development over conservation, says the indigenous territories are too big in relation to the number of people who live there and has promised to open some of them to agriculture and mining.

Image copyright EPA

More than 800,000 indigenous people live in 450 demarcated indigenous territories across Brazil - which cover about 12% of land. Most are located in the Amazon region and some people live totally isolated.

Critics say Mr Bolsonaro's positions have encouraged illegal mining and invasions of reserves. Last month, an indigenous leader was stabbed to death, reportedly by heavily armed gold miners who had invaded a remote indigenous territory.

Image copyright EPA

Meanwhile, deforestation in the Amazon, the world's largest tropical rainforest, soared more than 88% in June compared with the same month a year ago, according to data from Brazil's National Space Research Institute, Inpe.

But Mr Bolsonaro, who took office in January, has accused the institute of lying about the scale of the deforestation, and earlier this month sacked its head, Ricardo Galvão.

The president and his ministers have also criticised the country's indigenous rights agency, Funai, and its environmental protection body, Ibama.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau are among groups that say Brazil's president wants to allow deforestation in protected areas.

All pictures subject to copyright. </s> Groups of indigenous and farm women were received this Tuesday by the Brazilian legislature, where both repeated their criticism of the Jair Bolsonaro government and demanded policies favoring gender equality of a president often called a machista.

The women were received in the Lower House after a march of some 3,000 people and in which indigenous and country women were backed by students and university professors who criticized recent cutbacks in public education budgets. </s> related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

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Brazil's newly inaugurated president issued an executive order on Wednesday making the ministry of agriculture responsible for deciding on lands claimed by indigenous peoples, in a victory for agribusiness that will likely enrage environmentalists.

SAO PAULO: Brazil's newly inaugurated president issued an executive order on Wednesday making the ministry of agriculture responsible for deciding on lands claimed by indigenous peoples, in a victory for agribusiness that will likely enrage environmentalists.

During his presidential campaign, far-right Jair Bolsonaro said he was considering placing indigenous affairs under the ministry of agriculture, alleging lands should be opened to commercial activities that are currently banned.

Bolsonaro has now decided to move indigenous affairs agency FUNAI into a new ministry for family, women and human rights, and so the key decision on land claims will be in the hands of an agriculture ministry with deep ties to Brazil's powerful farm sector.

Critics say Bolsonaro's plan to open indigenous reservations to commercial activity will destroy native cultures and languages by integrating the tribes into Brazilian society.

Environmentalists say the native peoples are the last custodians of the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest that is vital for climate stability.

A former army captain, Bolsonaro took office in Brazil on Tuesday saying he had freed the country from "socialism and political correctness."

His supporters hope he will cut through red tape to kick-start the economy, tackle violent drug gangs and run a graft-free government.

Others fear he will unleash bloodshed by making guns more readily available and roll back social victories for minorities. </s> RIO DE JANEIRO/BRASILIA (Reuters) - New Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro issued an executive order on Wednesday making the Agriculture Ministry responsible for deciding on lands claimed by indigenous peoples, in a victory for agribusiness that will likely enrage environmentalists.

FILE PHOTO: Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro gestures after receiving the presidential sash from outgoing President Michel Temer at the Planalto Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil January 1, 2019. REUTERS/Sergio Moraes/File Photo

The temporary decree, which will expire unless it is ratified within 120 days by Congress, strips power over land claim decisions from indigenous affairs agency FUNAI.

It says the Agriculture Ministry will now be responsible for “identification, delimitation, demarcation and registration of lands traditionally occupied by indigenous people.”

The move stoked concern among environmentalists and rights groups that the far-right president, who took office on Tuesday, will open up the vast Amazon rainforest and other ecologically sensitive areas of Brazil to greater commercial exploitation.

The executive order also moves the Brazilian Forestry Service, which promotes the sustainable use of forests and is currently linked to the Environment Ministry, under Agriculture Ministry control.

Additionally, the decree states that the Agriculture Ministry will be in charge of the management of public forests.

Bolsonaro, who enjoys strong support from Brazil’s powerful agribusiness sector, said during his campaign he was considering such a move, arguing that protected lands should be opened to commercial activities.

Brazil’s 900,000 indigenous people make up less than 1 percent of the population, but live on lands that stretch for 106.7 million hectares (264 million acres), or 12.5 pct of the national territory.

“Less than a million people live in these isolated places in Brazil, where they are exploited and manipulated by NGOs,” Bolsonaro tweeted, referring to non-profit groups. “Let us together integrate these citizens and value all Brazilians.”

Critics say Bolsonaro’s plan to open indigenous reservations to commercial activity will destroy native cultures and languages by integrating the tribes into Brazilian society.

Environmentalists say the native peoples are the last custodians of the Amazon, which is the world’s largest rainforest and is vital for climate stability.

Adding to the gloom for NGOs, Bolsonaro also signed an executive order to give his government potentially far-reaching and restrictive powers over non-governmental organizations working in Brazil.

The temporary decree mandates that the office of the Government Secretary, Carlos Alberto Dos Santos Cruz, “supervise, coordinate, monitor and accompany the activities and actions of international organizations and non-governmental organizations in the national territory.”

GOOD NEWS FOR FARM LOBBY

After she was sworn in on Wednesday, new Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina Dias defended the farm sector from accusations it has grown at the expense of the environment, adding that the strength of Brazil’s farmers had generated “unfounded accusations” from unnamed international groups.

Dias used to be the head of the farm caucus in Brazil’s Congress, which has long pushed for an end to land measures that it argues hold back the agricultural sector.

“Brazil is a country with extremely advanced environmental legislation and is more than able to preserve its native forests,” Dias said. “Our country is a model to be followed, never a transgressor to be punished.”

In comments to reporters after her speech, she said that decisions over land rights disputes were a new responsibility for the Agriculture Ministry. However, she indicated that in practice, the demarcation of land limits would fall to a council of ministries, without giving further details.

Bartolomeu Braz, the president of the national chapter of Aprosoja, a major grain growers association, cheered Wednesday’s move to transfer indigenous land demarcation to the Agriculture Ministry.

“The new rules will be interesting to the farmers and the Indians, some of whom are already producing soybeans. The Indians want to be productive too,” he added.

ENVIRONMENTAL FEARS

Three-time presidential candidate and former Environment Minister Marina Silva, who was beaten by Bolsonaro in October’s election, reacted with horror to the move.

“Bolsonaro has begun his government in the worst possible way,” she wrote on Twitter.

Dinamã Tuxá, a member of Brazil’s Association of Indigenous Peoples, said many isolated communities viewed Bolsonaro’s administration with fear.

“We are very afraid because Bolsonaro is attacking indigenous policies, rolling back environmental protections, authorizing the invasion of indigenous territories and endorsing violence against indigenous peoples,” said Tuxá.

Under the new plan, the indigenous affairs agency FUNAI will be moved into a new ministry for family, women and human rights.

Slideshow (2 Images)

A former army captain and longtime member of Congress, Bolsonaro said at his inauguration on Tuesday that he had freed the country from “socialism and political correctness.”

An admirer of Donald Trump, Bolsonaro has suggested he will follow the U.S. president’s lead and pull out of the Paris climate change accord.

In addition to the indigenous lands decree, the new administration issued decrees affecting the economy and society on Wednesday, while forging closer ties with the United States. </s> SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) - New Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro issued an executive order on Wednesday making the Agriculture Ministry responsible for deciding on lands claimed by indigenous peoples, in a victory for agribusiness that will likely enrage environmentalists.

The temporary decree, which will expire unless it is ratified within 120 days by Congress, strips power over land claim decisions from indigenous affairs agency FUNAI.

It hands it to the Agriculture Ministry, which will now be responsible for “identification, delimitation, demarcation and registration of lands traditionally occupied by indigenous people.”

The move is likely to stoke concern among environmentalists and rights groups that the far-right new president, who took office on Tuesday, will open up the vast Amazon rainforest and other ecologically sensitive areas of Brazil to greater commercial exploitation.

The executive order also moves the Brazilian Forestry Service, which promotes the sustainable use of forests and is currently linked to the Environment Ministry, under the control of the Agriculture Ministry.

Additionally, the decree states that the Agriculture Ministry will be in charge of the management of public forests.

Bolsonaro, who enjoys strong support from Brazil’s powerful agribusiness sector, said during his campaign he was considering such a move, arguing that currently protected lands should be opened to commercial activities.

Brazil’s 900,000 indigenous people make up less than 1 percent of the population, but live on lands that stretch for 106.7 million hectares (264 million acres), or 12.5 pct of the national territory.

Tereza Cristina Dias, Bolsonaro’s new agriculture minister, used to be the head of the farm caucus in Brazil’s Congress, which has long pushed for an end to land measures that it argues hold back the agricultural sector.

Bartolomeu Braz, the president of the national chapter of Aprosoja, a major grain growers association, cheered Wednesday’s move.

“We support the initiative of transferring to the agriculture ministry the responsibility of demarcating indigenous land,” he said.

“The new rules will be interesting to the farmers and the Indians, some of whom are already producing soybeans. The Indians want to be productive too,” he added.

Critics say Bolsonaro’s plan to open indigenous reservations to commercial activity will destroy native cultures and languages by integrating the tribes into Brazilian society.

Environmentalists say the native peoples are the last custodians of the Amazon, which is the world’s largest rainforest and is vital for climate stability.

“We are very afraid because Bolsonaro is attacking indigenous policies, rolling back environmental protections, authorizing the invasion of indigenous territories and endorsing violence against indigenous peoples,” said Dinamã Tuxá, a member of Brazil’s Association of Indigenous Peoples.

A former army captain and longtime member of Congress, Bolsonaro said at his inauguration on Tuesday that he had freed the country from “socialism and political correctness.”

A strong admirer of Donald Trump, Bolsonaro has suggested he will follow the U.S. president’s lead and pull out of the Paris climate change accord.

His supporters hope he will cut through red tape to kick-start the economy, tackle violent drug gangs and run a graft-free government. Others fear he will unleash bloodshed by making guns more readily available and roll back social gains for minorities.

Under the new plan, the indigenous affairs agency FUNAI will be moved into a new ministry for family, women and human rights.

During her inauguration as agriculture minister on Wednesday, Dias did not mention the executive order, but sought to defend the farm sector from accusations it has grown at the expense of the environment, saying Brazil has some of the world’s toughest environmental laws.

She also promised a streamlining of bureaucracy and increased rule of law in the agricultural sector. </s> This photo gallery highlights some of the top news images made by Associated Press photographers in Latin America and the Caribbean that were published in the last week.

President Nicolas Maduro’s government announced late Sunday that more than 8 million Venezuelans had participated in the election for a constituent assembly that will be granted virtually unlimited powers. His count was put into question by at least one independent exit poll which showed turnout at less than half that number. Opposition leaders boycotted the election.

With his job on the line, Brazil’s President Michel Temer eked out a victory in a congressional vote over a bribery charge against him that has fueled angst and anger across Latin America’s largest nation. Members of Congress’ lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, voted 263-227 Wednesday against suspending the president and sending him for trial before Brazil’s highest court.

Sewage breakdowns in Mexico City’s “floating gardens” of Xochimilco and in the country’s Yucatan peninsula resort of Isla Holbox have officials warning of threats to residents and tourism. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Xochimilco has a series of canals and agricultural plots built by the Aztecs on floating beds of reeds, tree roots and soil.

Bolivia struggled unsuccessfully for decades to improve maternal deliveries then it turned to training midwives, joining international efforts to bring midwives into closer contact with the medical community. The government has trained about 500 midwives and is incorporating them into its health system to bolster a campaign to reduce Bolivia’s maternal mortality, which is the highest in South America.

Brazilian cowboys reenacted the tradition of travelling hundreds of miles in ox carts, now coined the Ox Cart Festival, to mark the annual corn harvest. And farmers in Paraguay camped out in the capital to demand forgiveness of their debt after a failed harvest.

Mexico hosted its first women’s soccer league match and Peru celebrated its independence Day.

This photo gallery was curated by photographer Moises Castillo in Guatemala City. On Twitter: @moises1975 </s> Brazil's newly inaugurated president issued an executive order on Wednesday making the Ministry of Agriculture responsible for deciding on lands claimed by Indigenous peoples, in a victory for agribusiness that will likely enrage environmentalists.

During his presidential campaign, far-right Jair Bolsonaro said he was considering placing Indigenous affairs under the Ministry of Agriculture, alleging lands should be opened to commercial activities that are currently banned.

Bolsonaro has now decided to move Indigenous affairs agency FUNAI into a new ministry for family, women and human rights. As a result, key decisions on land claims will be in the hands of an Ministry of Agriculture with deep ties to Brazil's powerful farm sector.

Critics say Bolsonaro's plan to open Indigenous reservations to commercial activity will destroy native cultures and languages by integrating the tribes into Brazilian society.

Environmentalists say the local Indigenous peoples are the last custodians of the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, which is vital for climate stability.

A former army captain, Bolsonaro took office in Brazil on Tuesday saying he had freed the country from "socialism and political correctness."

His supporters hope he will cut through red tape to kick-start the economy, tackle violent drug gangs and run a graft-free government.

Others fear he will unleash bloodshed by making guns more readily available and roll back social victories for minorities.
Earlier in the day, over a thousand Indigenous Brazilian women, representing over 100 ethnic groups, march on Brasília after an overnight occupation of the headquarters of the Ministry of Health's Special Secretariat of Indigenous Health. Protestors chanted against the government's recent attempts at municipalization and privatization of the Indigenous health subsystem, and called for stricter environmental regulations.