Ministry of Defense should distribute 15,000 food baskets to indigenous communities in Yanomami territory

An emergency action coordinated by the Ministry of Defense aims to distribute, over the next two months, 15,000 food baskets to indigenous communities in the Yanomami territory region.

Nicknamed 'Operation Catrimani', the word that gives its name to one of the rivers most polluted by mercury in the reserve, the action has the support of the Aerospace Operations Command (COMAE), which made two Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aircraft available to carry out the food distribution.

One of the aircraft is located in Manaus (AM) and the other in Campo Grande (MS). Each one is capable of carrying around 140 baskets per flight.

Last Friday (19), the first 600 baskets delivered by FUNAI arrived at Boa Vista Air Base, in the capital of Roraima. From there, FAB planes transported the food to the indigenous area of ​​Surucucu, from where the baskets will be distributed with the support of Armed Forces helicopters.

According to the Air Force, the forecast is that around 300 baskets will be distributed per day, at the Surucucu support base.

Monitoring illegal mining

Throughout 2023, monitoring of the region was reinforced, especially the airspace. Through the activation of the Air Defense Identification Zone (ZIDA), which covers the entire Yanomami Indigenous Land, the repression of illegal mining intensified.

Last Monday (22), the Federal Police, with support from the FAB, disabled an aircraft used for illegal mining in the region. The action was part of Operation Liberation, which collects or destroys materials used in logistics or security for illegal miners.

Aviator Colonel Leonardo Venancio Mangrich, from COMAE's Joint Aerospace Operations Center (CCOA), highlighted the size of the area and the functioning of operations in Yanomami territory. “This is a dynamic and complex operating scenario, in light of the legislation and protocols in force, in an area corresponding to the size of Portugal”.