Brazilian authorities have conducted a major operation against illegal gold mining in the Sararé territory, an Indigenous area in the southwestern Amazon near the Bolivia border. The operation, led by Nilton Tubino as part of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s anti-mining initiative, razed the settlement of Vila Cururu in late March after miners had inflicted severe ecological damage across the region. Between January 2024 and August 2025, approximately 4% of Sararé’s forests were destroyed, with about 17.3 square miles lost since the gold rush began roughly five years ago.
The Sararé territory is home to approximately 200 members of the Nambiquara Indigenous people, who have described the mining operations as catastrophic. Illegal miners used heavy excavation equipment to gouge massive pits from the landscape, leveled forests, and contaminated waterways with mercury used in gold processing. Aerial surveys revealed extensive brown scars across the formerly forested terrain, with stagnant pools and massive rubble heaps replacing vegetation. Indigenous leaders reported that wildlife populations declined due to constant noise from explosions and heavy machinery, while river systems became poisoned.
The intensification of mining in Sararé has been attributed to multiple factors, including surging global gold prices and the success of anti-mining operations in other territories like Yanomami, which prompted miners to relocate south. Additionally, concerns have emerged regarding the possible involvement of organized crime groups, particularly Rio de Janeiro’s Red Command faction, though officials have not confirmed definitive evidence. Recent violence has included gunfights between armed men and environmental forces, murders related to mining disputes, and threats against Indigenous leaders who oppose the operations.
The Nambiquara people have endured centuries of external disruption, including enslavement during colonial gold mining in the 1730s, disease epidemics following early 20th-century contact, and forced displacement during a military dictatorship highway project in the late 1970s. Their population declined from approximately 10,000 at the century’s start to around 600 by the late 20th century.
Authorities acknowledge the ongoing challenge of preventing miners’ return after military operations conclude. Indigenous leaders expressed skepticism about long-term success without sustained governmental commitment, particularly given upcoming electoral uncertainties. Despite recent destruction and continued threats, Tubino indicated that additional anti-mining operations were planned for later in the year to maintain pressure against the illicit industry.