Indigenous Community Accuses Brazilian Landowner of Dispossession and Environmental Crimes in Paraguay

Tensions are high in Amambay, Paraguay, as the indigenous community of Apyka Rynde’i accuses Brazilian landowner Claudinei Carvalho of seizing their ancestral lands and engaging in environmental destruction. The community, belonging to the Paî Tavyterã people, asserts that the disputed territory is vital to their cultural identity, housing their cemetery and connecting them to their roots.

According to community representatives, Carvalho has maintained control through constant threats and by leveraging the justice system to target indigenous leaders. Hugo Renato Brítez, a community representative, has appealed for state intervention, specifically requesting a judicial or administrative land survey. He highlighted that several families have been forced to live by the roadside since a previous eviction, which they view as a blatant dispossession of their ancestral lands.

The Public Prosecutor's Office in Pedro Juan Caballero has confirmed that a complaint of trespassing against the indigenous people was previously dismissed. Currently, an investigation is underway regarding a complaint filed by the indigenous community against Carvalho for alleged environmental law violations. Prosecutor Reinalda Palacios stated that the investigation awaits technical inspections from Asunción to determine if environmental laws have been broken.

Historical records indicate the land was once owned by Chocho S.A., a company belonging to the Heisecke family, which later sold it to Carvalho. Documents presented to the prosecution show authorization for activities such as charcoal extraction, logging, and agro-ranching. These documents and current land use practices will be scrutinized by experts from the Attorney General's Office to ascertain any potential criminal offenses related to environmental law.