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https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-brazil-government-united-states-802853d7e3f1364abf310971acb658a7>
"RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
announced Thursday that Sônia Guajajara will head up a new Ministry of
Indigenous Peoples, with a mandate to oversee policies ranging from land
demarcation to health care.
Guajajara was elected to Congress in October. She is widely known as the leader
of the main umbrella group for Brazil’s many Indigenous tribes and is a member
of the Amazon Guajajara. This year she made Time Magazine’s annual list of the
world’s 100 most influential people.
“This is more than a personal achievement,” Guajajara said. “It is a collective
achievement of the Indigenous peoples, a historic moment of reparation in
Brazil.” The creation of the ministry is “a confirmation of Lula’s commitment
to us,” she said in a tweet.
Lula promised to create the Indigenous cabinet department during his
presidential campaign. On Jan. 1 he returns to power, having previously
governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010.
The appointment of Guajajara to such a post marks a 180 degree turn from
Brazil’s current government. Outgoing president Jair Bolsonaro, defeated in
October, is an opponent of Indigenous rights and land with a record of racist
statements. In 1998, when he was still a fringe lawmaker, he spoke in Brazil’s
Congress praising the U.S. Cavalry for having “decimated its Indians” and
regretted Brazil had not done the same."
Via Frederick Wilson II.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
