While the protection of indigenous lands is being discussed at COP30, in recent days an act of senseless violence has affected the community Guarani Kaiowá in southern Brazil. During one night, a group of attackers opened fire on the community of Pyelito Kue, killing the leader Vicente Fernandes Vilhalva and seriously injuring four other community members.
The attackers, around 20 armed men, once again targeted the homes of the Guarani, shooting Vicente in the head and burning their homes and possessions. The attack was the fourth in two weeks against this community, which has always been at the center of violence and discrimination by the region’s farmers. One of the leaders of Pyelito Kue told Reporter Brazilanonymously, of how they felt surrounded and helpless, without weapons or defenses, forced to retreat while the gunmen continued to shoot.
Vicente’s death is only the latest episode in a long series of attacks that farmers have been carrying out against the Guarani Kaiowá for decades. Their lands, historically sacred and vital to the survival of the community, have been occupied by agro-industries and cattle ranches, and any attempt to reclaim what is theirs is brutally repressed. The community of Pyelito Kue, forced for over ten years to live in conditions of extreme poverty on an area of 97 hectares, recently decided to claim a new portion of land within the Iguatemipeguá I Indigenous Territory, where the murder occurred.
The legal situation of the land, already demarcated by FUNAI in 2013, is still at a standstill, despite promises made by Lula’s government to complete the demarcation process. This delay has allowed violent attacks by farmers, police and other armed groups to continue unpunished, endangering the lives and safety of the Guarani Kaiowá.
Aty Guasu, the organization representing the Guarani people, publicly denounced the attacks and called for support from civil society and human rights organizations.
The Brazilian Constitution recognizes our rights, but the State has not protected our people. Vicente’s death is the tragic consequence of the lack of recognition of indigenous lands, said Aty Guasu.
Lula, at COP30, recognized the crucial importance of indigenous lands in combating climate change, but this recognition clashed with the reality of the daily violence suffered by indigenous peoples. And Vicente’s death is the painful sign of a right still denied.
Meanwhile, deforestation advances
Between 2018 and 2022, the Amazon saw the destruction of 8.6 million hectares of forest, accounting for 36% of global deforestation. The main cause of this phenomenon is the expansion of cattle farming (78%), followed by the cultivation of soy (4.6%). Global supply chains, particularly those of the EU, have a direct impact on deforestation, with Italy contributing to the destruction of 4,000 hectares of Amazon forest each year, equivalent to 10% of the country’s overall annual deforestation.
This data is revealed Amazon Footprint Report 2025presented at COP30, the report that highlights the connection between our agricultural supply chains and the devastation of the Amazon, already reduced by 17% of its original extent. WWF underlines that to prevent the worst effects of climate change, it is essential to rethink production and consumption chains, making them sustainable and transparent.
The European Anti-Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which came into force in 2023, represents one of the most effective tools to combat global deforestation. However, some Member States are trying to weaken or delay its implementation. If the Regulation were postponed, an estimated 50 million trees would be cut down and 16.8 million tons of greenhouse gases emitted, undermining global efforts to save forests.
International pressure and solidarity are now essential to ensure that the Brazilian government honors its promises and puts an end to the violence that is decimating indigenous communities.
Sources: Survival International / Amazon Footprint Report 2025
