Government to reinforce security in the Yanomami area after attack on Ibama

The federal government promised to send new Federal Police (PF) and National Force agents to the Yanomami indigenous land located in Roraima. The aim is to reinforce operations to combat crime and illegal mining. The request was made by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), after an attack recorded on Thursday night (23).

The Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, has already sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice with the request. Any retreat at the moment will represent their return (the garimpeiros). Obviously, there are logistics for this to happen. but there should soon be an improvement in security”, said the president of Ibama, Rodrigo Agostinho, to CNN .

On Thursday, armed miners broke through the inspection blockade in the Yanomami indigenous land and shot at Ibama agents. According to Ibama, the inspectors fought back and, in the shootout, one of the miners was injured. He was detained by the Federal Police for attacking public servants and was taken to the hospital.

According to Ibama, the criminals went down the river in seven 12-meter “voadeiras” loaded with cassiterite. The shipment of ore stolen from the indigenous land was identified by drones operated by Ibama. After the attack, the other criminals fled.

Security at the control base, installed on the 7th, is carried out by agents of the National Public Security Force, the Federal Highway Police and Ibama. The main objective of the base is to prevent the entry of boats carrying supplies and equipment for prospecting in Yanomami territory. Since the installation of a physical barrier with steel cables, on the 20th, no loaded boat has gone towards the mines, according to Ibama.