Múcio will go to Roraima with the Armed Forces to combat illegal mining.
The Air Force, Army, and Navy will go to Roraima next week. "We are going ready to confront them. We have to cut the evil at its root," stated the Minister of Defense, José Múcio.
247 - Defense Minister José Múcio said on Tuesday (31) that he will go with the commanders of the Air Force, Army and Navy to Roraima next week to combat illegal mining in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory. According to the newspaper The GlobeInitially, the minister visited the capital, Boa Vista, and the community of Surucucu, one of the most affected.
“The problem has an origin, and we know it. The presence of illegal mining is very strong and will be eradicated. Yesterday's decree allows the Armed Forces to have a more comprehensive presence [in the region],” said the Minister of Defense in an interview with Bandnews TV.
According to him, the current situation in the region is "sad" and "a shame," and the roles that each branch of the armed forces will play in dismantling the illegal mining operation have already been defined. While the Army will conduct fieldwork to identify the criminals, the Navy will provide support with boats and river surveillance, and the Air Force will monitor the airspace and assist with access to remote communities.
"Any suspicious flight will be forced to divert its route and land on a runway to be identified," he emphasized. "We are ready to confront them. We have to nip the problem in the bud," he stated.
On Monday, the 30th, Múcio and the commanders of the Armed Forces met with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Minister of the Civil House, Rui Costa, and the future president of Funai, Joenia Wapichana, to discuss the matter.