Brazil appoints ex-evangelist to head indigenous agency

ANKARA

The Bolsonaro government in Brazil has come under criticism for naming a former evangelical missionary to head an agency responsible for protecting isolated indigenous groups.

The Justice Ministry announced Wednesday that Ricardo Lopes Dias will be the new head of the Funai agency for coordinating uncontacted Indigenous people, according to the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper.

Dias said before his nomination he "would not seek to evangelize indigenous groups" and his actions "would be purely technical,” but some activist and indigenous groups voiced concern about his work in the Amazon on with the Matses ethnicity between 1997 and 2007 as a member of the New Tribes nonprofit group.

In a letter released Tuesday, Matses chiefs said that they do not accept Dias’ appointment.

"We would like to report here that Mr. Ricardo never had the authorization to enter our village. He manipulated part of the Matses population to set a new village called Cruzeirinho. The leaders tried to go to this village in search of a dialogue but were driven out with violence,” they said. “Once again, he tries to enter into our territory. We do not want further abuse, so will not allow the entry of Mr. Richardo.”

Brazil officially recognizes 28 isolated indigenous peoples groups in the Amazon. President Jair Bolsonaro said Funai's purpose is to integrate indigenous groups into Brazilian society.

His administration maintains that protected lands of isolated indigenous people can pose a threat to development and national sovereignty.