The PT candidate for the presidency, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said today (2) that he intends, if elected, to guarantee the demarcation of indigenous and quilombola territories. “I am making a delicate commitment to you. I need to take better care of the indigenous people, demarcate the territory and guarantee the demarcation”, he said, speaking at a meeting with representatives of indigenous peoples in Belém (PA).
Lula also stated that it is necessary to speed up the process of demarcating the lands of remaining quilombo communities. “It takes a long time and the people who live in quilombos cannot wait for the bureaucracy to decide the right moment. We will take care of those that the state needs to take care of,” he added.
The candidate also said again that he intends to fight illegal mining, especially in indigenous lands in the Amazon.
In addition to talking about the creation of the Ministry of Native Peoples, which, according to Lula, should have an indigenous minister, the candidate highlighted the importance of traditional populations being at the forefront of policies aimed at them. “[Com] the number of doctors who have already graduated [e que são] indigenous people, they can take care of indigenous health themselves”, he exemplified.
For Lula, it is necessary to show that environmental preservation can bring more economic gains than the destruction of the forest for the production of commodities. “We have to create, in Brazilian society, the awareness that keeping the forest standing is healthier, more profitable, than trying to cut down a tree to plant soybeans, corn, sugarcane or to raise cattle”, he highlighted.
It is also necessary, according to the candidate, to differentiate between businessmen who act within the law and those who commit environmental crimes.
Lula also said that he wants to encourage family farming, in case he wins the elections. The idea is to increase the supply of food and thus avoid rising prices. “Family farming prepares itself to produce more, because we are going to create something called Mais Alimentos to increase production capacity, so that there is more food on the market and so that inflation does not prohibit people from buying what to eat”.
Another proposal by the candidate is to recreate the Ministry of Fisheries. According to him, the country has 8,000 kilometers of coastline and 12% of the world’s fresh water, so there should be a specific folder for fisheries, rather than putting the matter under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Click here and check the candidates schedule to the Presidency of the Republic for this Friday (2/9).
*Material updated at 3:45 pm for additional information.
