Article originally published on the website of the Congress in Focus, on 2/28/2023
When figures and images of the genocide against the Yanomami people became public, there was a strong outcry and many mobilized to help stop the tragedy as quickly as possible. Assassins and accomplices retreated. Incredible as it may seem, the Senate set up an “external commission” to monitor the crisis, with a majority of senators from Roraima, and favorable to criminals!
Chico Rodrigues (PSB-RR), Mecias de Jesus (Republicanos-RR) and “Dr.” Hiran (PP-RR), known pro-mining senators, sent a letter to various authorities in Brasilia requesting that miners caught in the Yanomami Indigenous Land not respond to criminal prosecution, as revealed by Agência Pública. According to the report, the document was handed over to the Attorney General of the Republic, Augusto Aras, ministers José Múcio (Defense), Flávio Dino (Justice) and Rui Costa (Casa Civil) and Senate presidents, Rodrigo Pacheco, and of the Chamber, Arthur Lira.
Senator Chico Rodrigues (PSB-RR) chairs the commission. Born in Pernambuco, he had an extensive political career in Roraima, where he was governor. He has already been the target of a Federal Police operation against the diversion of public resources destined to combat Covid among the Yanomami, which seized cash in his underwear and a large nugget of gold in a safe at his home.
Mecias de Jesus (Republicanos-RR) and Dr. Hiran (PP-RR) is from Maranhão and Amazonas and is also involved in politics in Roraima. Mecias was responsible for appointing the managers of the Special Yanomami Indigenous Health District (Dsei-Y), whose actions contributed to the situation of genocide. Dr. Hiran is the commission’s rapporteur and proposes payment of financial aid to the garimpeiros. He doesn’t talk about punishing the owners of illegal mines.
cynical and reckless
The president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), was warned of the seriousness of composing a commission only with representatives from Roraima and, even more, with pro-mining positions. He acted surprised when confronted with the collegiate’s partiality, but was willing to include Senators Humberto Costa (PT-PE) and Eliziane Gama (PSD-MA), which mitigates, but does not reverse, that trend.
Pacheco wanted to be on good terms with his Roraima colleagues, but left the Senate very badly on tape. The repercussion of the commission’s composition was the worst possible. In addition to the notorious lack of exemption, all the previous dirt came to light. Instead of contributing to stop the crisis, the Senate went against the grain, as a co-promoter of the situation.
Anointed as president by Pacheco, Rodrigues wasted no time. He didn’t even convene the commission to discuss and approve a work plan, as required by the Senate’s bylaws. He resorted to the FAB’s logistical support and went alone to visit the area.
Representatives of the Yanomami repudiated the visit and the composition of the commission. Rodrigues landed at the Surucucu base, was not received by the community and limited himself to visiting the Army battalion. Afterwards, he flew over areas devastated by mining and, upon arriving in Boa Vista, declared that “everything was quiet” and that the territory was already practically empty.
In the same week, the inspection base set up by the federal agencies on the Uraricoera River, which gives access to the Yanomami Land, was attacked by an armed convoy of prospectors, who were trying to escape with a shipment of cassiterite. One of the prospectors was injured and arrested. The rest fled. Not everything is smooth.
Institutional Responsibilities
Mecias and Hiran are in the thick of it, leaving Rodrigues as the central target of widespread criticism of the commission. Eliziane and Humberto are outraged by Rodrigues’ more than suspicious audacity and went to complain to Pacheco, who, by now, must have already realized how cold the Senate was.
The president of the house needs to take some action. If you let it go, you’ll regret it. It is more than predictable a report full of benevolence for the garimpeiros and without any responsibility for the genocide. Civil organizations ask for the recomposition of the commission. Pacheco will try to surround the rapporteur. The Senate is turning chicken coop.
The situation is also dire for the PSB, which has just welcomed Chico Rodrigues among its affiliates. Perhaps one cannot expect all “socialists” to be socialists, but that is enough. The party has a history and a role in rebuilding the country. And Rodrigues is no longer able to reinvent his own history.