President Jair Bolsonaro is trying to turn back the clock on indigenous rights. He wants to strip their autonomy, sell off their territories for logging and mining and “assimilate” them against their wishes.

He once said: “It’s a shame that the Brazilian cavalry hasn’t been as efficient as the Americans, who exterminated the Indians.” Under his administration, an area of Amazon rainforest the size of a soccer pitch is destroyed every minute.

Is the air the President breathes different to the air we breathe?

Reginaldo Apyawa

Brazil today is home to around 305 distinct indigenous peoples, including around 100 uncontacted tribes. All of them are now in danger.

Survival International has stood in solidarity with Brazil’s indigenous peoples for 50 years – for their survival, for the protection of some of Earth’s most biodiverse territories, for the health of our planet, and for all humanity.

We are fighting alongside them to defend their lives and lands. You can join the fightback against Brazil’s genocide now.

Watch and share indigenous people’s urgent messages and follow #TribalVoice!Download our activist pack of key resources you can use to take action.

This is undoubtedly one of the worst moments for indigenous peoples since the military dictatorship.

Beto Marubo

Across Brazil, indigenous peoples are fighting back

APIB, the Association of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, said: “We have the right to exist. We won’t retreat. We’ll denounce this government around the world.”

Brazil’s indigenous peoples, their supporters and allies, and Survival International are fighting back as the President plots to steal their land, destroy their lives and annihilate them as peoples.

The biggest ever international protest for indigenous rights took place in Bolsonaro’s first month in office, and raising our voices together has already make a difference.

Tribal peoples thwart Bolsonaro’s attempts to dismantle FUNAI

Bolsonaro has tried to cripple FUNAI, Brazil’s indigenous affairs department, and moved to make it easier for agri-business and extractive industries to exploit resources in tribal territories.

Indigenous peoples prevent the abolishment of Sesai

Bolsonaro’s administration wanted to abolish the indigenous healthcare system, Sesai.

He failed again. Indigenous groups protested in many parts of the country, occupying public buildings and highways in support of Sesai.

Only a week or so after the proposition was first floated, the government backed down and said that the indigenous healthcare system would not be abolished after all.

Survival has 50 years’ experience of effective campaigning that gets results. Since 1969, in partnership with indigenous peoples, we have run more than 50 successful campaigns in Brazil alone, and hundreds more worldwide.

We’ve stopped loggers, miners, and oil companies from destroying tribal lands, lives and livelihoods. We’ve persuaded governments to recognize indigenous rights. We continue to document and expose the atrocities committed against tribal people and take direct action to stop them. With your help, we can end Bolsonaro’s war on indigenous peoples: For tribes, for nature, for all humanity.