Brazil: ABRAPO – Denunciation Note of August 8: BOPE Prepares Massacre with the presence of Lula in Rondônia
We share hereby an unofficial translation of the notes by the Brazilian Association of the People’s Lawyers (ABRAPO) published recently by Resistencia Camponesa.
New terror action by the State in Rondônia. A dead person already confirmed
This morning, August 8, 2025, the Valdiro Chagas Area in the city of Machadinho d’Oeste in Rondônia was the scene of another serious episode of State violence against poor peasants. BOPE troops conducted low-flying helicopter operations and fired multiple gunshots in the region, terrorizing the families who live and work on the land. A peasant was murdered by the Military Police, a fact confirmed by the commander of the organization himself.
The action occurs on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Heroic Peasant Resistance of Santa Elina, which claimed the lives of dozens of peasants. This episode is emblematic of the struggle for land in Brazil and a symbol of peasant resistance against the brutal repression of the latinfundium and the bourgeois State. The moment demanded respect, memory, and justice, not the repetition of the same crimes.
It is unacceptable that, precisely in this context, another chapter of the war against the poor in the countryside is repeated. Even more serious is that this occurs with the presence of the President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in the State of Rondônia, without any expression of condemnation or concrete action to prevent the abuses of the repressive forces. It is necessary to break the silence and take action. Not just with words, but with deeds. The Federal Government must investigate and determine the inquiry into the paramilitary groups in RO, which are even present within the high ranks of the police forces.
The statement by Commander Braguinha is serious, as he claims in a video shared on social media that he has “neutralized” a peasant from the “terrorist” organization LCP. However, the BOPE’s TikTok commander does not clarify extremely relevant questions: What was the judicial order? What was the reason? What justified the BOPE’s operation in the Valdiro Chagas area? It is evident that the BOPE acts as the armed wing of the landowners in Rondônia, who have made the political decision to exterminate poor farmers on the day of Luiz Inácio’s visit, sending a clear message to the leftist that they will not accept any, not even demagoguery, on the agrarian issue in Rondônia.
We inform you that the action is ongoing and that the number of dead may increase, not only from those already affected but also from those who could be, if this illegal and excessive action is not halted. We publicly denounce this criminal operation of the BOPE in Rondônia and demand:
The immediate withdrawal of police forces from the Valdiro Chagas Area
Guarantee of security and physical integrity for all residents of the area.
Accountability of the masterminds and executors of the terror action.
A public statement by the State and federal authorities, specially from the president of the Republic, about what happened.
The violence against the people can no longer be tolerated. We do not want Corumbiara, we won’t allow to repeat that.
Enough of repression! Land for who lives and works on it!
ABRAPO – Brazilian Association of People’s Lawyers – Gabriel Pimenta
