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An IBAMA (Brazil’s environmental protection agency) employee was assaulted by illegal loggers in April. The employee, Givanildo Lima, was hit in the head with a bottle after attempting to resolve a dispute between his IBAMA team and a group of illegal loggers. He fell to the ground after the blow and was hospitalised immediately afterwards.
Lima worked on an operation targeting illegal deforestation by land grabbers in the Cachoeira Seca Indigenous Reserve when he was assaulted. Between April 2018 and July 2019, the territory was the 3rd worst deforested Brazilian indigenous area. It is mainly targeted by land grabbers who clear forests to make way for cattle ranches.
The dispute between the loggers and IBAMA erupted after IBAMA burned vehicles belonging to the criminals. This is permitted under the law and standard protocol when the agency finds immovable vehicles used by criminals. However, the act angered the loggers, who retaliated by burning a bridge to prevent IBAMA from carrying out its operation in the indigenous reserve. Later, a large group of loggers surrounded the IBAMA staff and threatened them, after which Luna tried to calm the situation.
The assault was filmed by the criminals, yet no one has been taken into custody. Bolsonaro has also assured illegal loggers and other criminals that their vehicles will be safe under his administration. He cannot change laws without congressional approval, but he appointed allies to key positions within IBAMA, resulting in half as many vehicles being burned this year, as opposed to last.
The Association of IBAMA employees accused Bolsonaro and his anti-environmental and violent rhetoric of generating attacks on the agency’s officials, such as the assault on Lima. The Ministry of Environment, led by Ricardo Salles, a Bolsonaro ally, has banned IBAMA employees from speaking to the press, unless they belong to the Communications Department. Thus, Lima told the Mongabay journalists that he could not speak to them about his assault.