According to the BBC’s report, Lula stated that he would reverse the policies of his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who has promoted mining on his native land since he took office in January.
Lula, who made a statement in the capital Brasilia, stated that the process will take time and said, “We will bring legality to the native lands.”
Within the framework of the decision on 6 new native habitats, approximately 620,000 hectares of land, including a large Amazon rainforest area, were protected.
Indigenous leaders welcomed the decision
The decision, which authorizes indigenous people to exclusively use the natural resources in the reserves, bans all mining, while restricting commercial farming and logging.
The new reserves are located in the northeastern and southern parts of the country, as well as in the center.
Welcoming the decision, local leaders said that more areas should be protected.
With the said decision, it is expected to prevent deforestation, which has become a worry in the Amazon in recent years.