Thousands of Indigenous people marched through Brasília on 9 April 2026 during the 22nd “Free Land Encampment”, urging authorities to recognise ancestral lands ahead of October’s elections.
The main procession moved on Thursday along the Esplanade of the Ministries towards Congress, while a smaller group headed to the Supreme Court.
The march marked the peak of the gathering, held from 6 to 11 April and bringing together around 7,000 participants from more than 200 groups.
Leaders, including Marinete Tukano, called for concrete action, warning that delays in land demarcation leave communities at risk and weaken constitutional rights. They noted that although around 20 territories have been recognised between 2023 and late 2025, following four years without progress, this remains insufficient given the longstanding backlog.
Powerful rural and mining lobbies push for weaker protections, promoting “temporal‑framework‑style” rules as a way to expand farming and extraction onto Indigenous‑claimed land.
Despite some progress in recent years, many claims remain unresolved, as Congress debates new measures criticised by Indigenous organisations and rights groups for threatening land protections.
