Indigenous protest camp erected in Brazilian capital to press land rights

An indigenous woman from the Kayapo tribe looks on during the Terra Livre camp, Free Land camp, to protest in defend indigenous land and cultural rights that they say are threatened by the right-wing government of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, in Brasilia, Brazil April 4, 2022. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Hundreds of indigenous people began gathering in the Brazilian capital on Monday for a 10-day protest camp to defend their land rights and oppose a government bill in Congress that would allow mining and oil exploration on their reservations.

Organizers are hoping to gather 7,000 people from 200 of Brazil's 305 tribes to press Congress not to pass legislation proposed by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro that would open their protected lands to commercial mining and agriculture.