Brazil - April 2024

The Brazilian government issued its first apology for torturing and persecuting Indigenous Peoples during the 1964-85 military dictatorship. The apology was made by an amnesty commission attached to the human rights ministry, tasked with investigating crimes committed by the regime as the country marks the 60th anniversary of the coup. Additionally, the amnesty commission has begun, for the first time in its history, to analyze collective restitution demands by Indigenous communities. This marks a significant shift from its traditional practice of only accepting individual claims. The apology focused on two specific cases: the Krenak and Guarani-Kaiowá peoples, who were incarcerated in a reformatory camp, forbidden to speak their languages, and subjected to forced labor and physical abuse. Indigenous leaders hope the apology leads to reparations, including land restitution. Many more cases are expected to be examined, particularly in the Amazon, where the dictatorship's infrastructure projects devastated Indigenous lands and people.

 Source: The Guardian, El Pais, Globo