Brazil Supreme Court orders removal of illegal miners from Cinta Larga Indigenous territory

The Brazilian Supreme Court (STF) instructed the federal government to draft a detailed plan within 30 days for the removal of illegal miners from the Cinta Larga Indigenous land that spans Mato Grosso and Rondônia. The plan must outline actions by federal and state agencies and be executed within 60 days of approval. The ruling highlights links between the miners and organized crime, describing five criminal cores – financial, legal, operational, Indigenous‑participation, and receptacle – and notes the involvement of some Indigenous leaders in authorizing diamond extraction.

Separately, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) launched three civil actions in Mato Grosso targeting illegal gold and diamond mining on the Sete de Setembro and Sararé Indigenous lands. The actions seek compensation for environmental damage estimated at R$ 11.3 million and the freezing of assets of those involved. A related criminal case accuses four individuals of supplying roughly 4.9 million litres of diesel, valued at R$ 26.4 million, to fuel the illegal mining operations, alleging money‑laundering and misuse of Union property.