Brazil: Big Landlord Tortures and Kidnaps Guarani-Kaiowá Peasant Woman
On January 27th, an attempted kidnapping was carried out against a Guarani-Kaiowá peasant woman, the sister of a leader in the struggle to reclaim Guyraroká indigenous land in the City of Caarapó. AND reports that a group of armed and hooded goons broke into her home, looking for her sister, and proceeded to threaten and intimidate her into revealing her whereabouts when they discovered her sister was not present.
The woman was tied up and gagged, and at one point had a revolver placed in her mouth. The goons at one point also threw her daughter to the ground. Despite this, the woman did not reveal any information, AND reports.
The Committee in Support of the Struggle of Indigenous Peoples (CALPI) has denounced this serious episode of violent aggression in a statement. In the CALPI statement it is affirmed that it “classifies the episode as an act of terror and intimidation, highlighting that the violence not only affects the direct victim, but generates insecurity and fear throughout the Guyraroká indigenous community […] the committee calls on all democrats to intensify denunciations of crimes committed against indigenous peoples, as well as demanding immediate action from the competent authorities, including the investigation of the crimes, the identification and accountability of those involved, and the adoption of effective measures to protect indigenous leaders, women, and the local community.”
Following the advancements made in the struggle for land with the land reclamation in October 2025, on which we previously reported, and the subsequent victory against the big landlords of the Ipuitã farm by the Guarani-Kaiowá, the state increased it’s repression, sending a federal judge to the area in an attempt of a conciliation hearing.
AND writes: “With the brave resistance of the indigenous people, the state troops of the Military Police of Mato Grosso do Sul, commanded by the big landowning governor Eduardo Riedel, were defeated and forced to withdraw from the area. This occurred after his desperate attempt to advance against the indigenous people with heavy weaponry, including the use of a helicopter.”
“The judiciary was forced to accept the Guarani-Kaiowá peasant’s continued presence on the reclaimed land, also accepting the demand to prohibit the alleged owners of the farm from using pesticides as chemical weapons to be released in retaliation.”
