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

By MAURICIO SAVARESE
Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — 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. The leftist leader also pledged Tuesday to name an Indigenous person as minister for Indigenous affairs if he regains the office he held from 2003 to 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.” Bolsonaro argues that economic activity should not be hindered by environmental or human rights issues, and he insists the Indigenous themselves would benefit from opening up their areas to mining