Budget ignores poor, black and indigenous people, says Lula at COP27

“Indigenous people are not treated like humans, they are not taken into account when you make a country’s budget”, said president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) this Thursday afternoon (17) to indigenous leaders from all continents gathered at the UN Climate COP27.

“When distributing a country’s finances, so much goes to diplomacy, so much to war, and nothing for the poor, nothing for blacks, nothing for indigenous people”, said Lula, who sewed together the demands brought by indigenous representatives with agendas that he has already been defending in the domestic and international plans.

The budget forecast, the new government’s first dispute even before taking office, was also questioned by the president-elect earlier in a meeting with Brazilian NGOs. He again questioned the spending cap, linking it to a lack of social responsibility.

“I participated in the G20 meetings and felt that people’s problems were not talked about. When rich countries meet, the poor do not exist, black people do not exist, indigenous people do not exist,” said Lula.

The president-elect limited himself to reaffirming his commitment to the creation of the Ministry for Indigenous Peoples, without adding details on how the portfolio should operate. The day before, the names of elected federal deputy Sonia Guajajara (PSOL-SP) and current deputy Joenia Wapichana (Rede-RR) were announced to join the transition team.

“We want to know the status of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples: what is its autonomy, power, budget, so that we can then understand what profile to assume this ministry,” said Guajajara, who is also coordinator of Apib (Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil ).

“We ask that you [Lula]Biden and other leaders take a leading role in climate change and biodiversity negotiations,” said Terry Teegee, Canadian Indigenous Leader, on behalf of North America.

Throughout the meeting, seven other indigenous leaders, representing all continents, reinforced demands such as direct access for indigenous peoples to international resources for environmental conservation and effective participation in international negotiations.

“Why can’t you participate in the formal environment of negotiations at a conference and tell the heads of state what you want?” questioned Lula, in a rhetorical tone, taking the opportunity to defend a new global governance.

In his speech on Wednesday (16) during COP27, Lula defended significant reforms in the multilateral system, with a review of the UN Security Council and the establishment of climate governance that has the power to determine the implementation of climate policies in countries.