Brazil's Indigenous Minister reports drop in Yanomami mining

Eloy Terena, Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples, has defended the necessity of his ministry, describing its role as having a “pedagogical character” for both indigenous and non-indigenous populations. Terena, an anthropologist and lawyer of the Terena ethnicity, assumed the position following Sônia Guajajara’s departure to run for the Chamber of Deputies. He emphasized that achieving goals such as land demarcation and territory protection requires close cooperation across various government ministries.

Regarding the Yanomami Indigenous Territory, Terena reported that illegal mining alerts have decreased by 98% since January 2023, a trend supported by satellite imagery. While he noted that mining has nearly disappeared from the area, he warned that constant state surveillance is required to prevent new incursions via land, river, or air.

To combat malnutrition, the ministry has distributed approximately 190,000 food baskets to 426 communities since early 2023. The government is now shifting focus toward self-sustainability through projects such as fish farming and traditional agriculture support to reduce long-term dependence on direct food aid.