Indigenous from Brazil have started organizing themselves to secure direct political representation in the next legislative elections due in 2010. According to Agencia Estado, tribal communities have begun to nominate their candidates through primary elections. However, indigenous candidates are not to form a new party, but contest elections as candidates of the Green Party (PV), the Workers' Party (PT) and the Democratic Labour Party (PDT).

Some candidates have been already elected, such as Julio Macuxi in the state of Roraima. He is well known within the Brazilian indigenous movement for leading the struggle in Raposa Serra do Sol, a territory in the North considered by the Supreme Court as an integral self-ruled territory and of exclusive use for the indigenous population.As a consequence big rice growers and farmers have had to leave the vast areas they occupied.

According to official polls, it is estimated that autochthonous peoples from Brazil -which are constituted by 220 different ethnic groups amounting to 700,000 people- could return 5 seats out of 513, thus breaking with years-old tradition of Amerindian absence from the legislative assembly. Only one Native American, Mário Juruna, was elected Member of Parliament during the 1983-1987 term.

The indigenous political movement will also try to obtain seats in 19 out of 26 State legislative assemblies. These 19 states include Roraima, Pará, Mato Grosso, Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul and Distrito Federal, among others.

So far indigenous people have had a minor importance in Brazilian party politics except for local politics: last year 5 indigenous town mayors and 90 local councillors were elected. According to Minority Rights Group, the indigenous population amounts only to 0'2-0'4% of the overall Brazilian populace. That might be one of the reasons why they have mainly organized themselves through intertribal organizations, civil society organizations and the governmental body FUNAI (National Indian Foundation)

Photo: Indigenous people from Raposa celebrate the decision next to the Supreme Court (José Cruz/ABr).

Further information:

• ExpressoMT: Índios recrutam líderes para tentar vitória inédita nas urnas em 2010
• Fundaçao Nacional do Indio (FUNAI)
• Nationalia:Non-indigenous farmers and rice producers leave Raposa Serra do Sol