The following is based on a communication sent by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and other UN experts to the Government of Brazil on 17 December 2025. The communication remained confidential for 60 days before being made public, giving the Government time to reply. The Government replied on 13 February 2026.
This is a shorter version of the original communication.
BACKGROUND
Topic: the killing of indigenous leader Vicente Fernandes Kaiowá on 16 November 2025 and continued severe violations of the human rights of the Guarani-Kaiowá indigenous people in the south of Mato Grosso do Sul.
Vicente Fernandes was an indigenous Guarani-Kaiowá leader in the Pyelito Kue tekhoa, part of the Iguatemipeguá I Indigenous Land in the Iguatemi municipality in the south of Mato Grosso do Sul.
ALLEGATIONS
In November 2007, an agreement was reached between indigenous leaders, the Fundação Nacional dos Povos Indígenas (FUNAI), the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Federal Ministry of Justice for the demarcation of 36 Guarani-Kaiowá territories by 2010.
In 2013, three years after the agreed deadline, the Iguatemipeguá I Indigenous Land was delimited, covering over 41,000 hectares, however, the process has since stalled, and the land is yet to be demarcated. As a result, the GuaraniKaiowá indigenous people in the Pyeltio Kue tekhoa, within the delimited indigenous land, have been living in extremely poor conditions on 97 hectares of land surrounded by eucalyptus plantains, with very limited space for growing crops.
In response to the failure of the authorities to demarcate the land and uphold the protection, respect and fulfillment of the constitutional, regional and internationally recognised rights of the Guarani-Kaiowá, the indigenous people have engaged in reoccupations of their traditional territory in the area.
In October 2025, the Guarani-Kaiowá families in the Pyelito Kue tekhoa reclaimed part of their territory in the Iguatemipeguá I Indigenous Land which overlaps with a large cattle farm – the Cachoeira Farm.
On 3 November 2025, they moved from the area they had initially reoccupied into an open field. Following this, they were attacked for two consecutive nights by organised gunmen who fired live rounds and rubber bullets at them, while also attempting to burn down the small structures the Guarani-Kaiowá had erected, with the attack leaving several people injured.
On 16 November 2025, the Guarani-Kaiowá community members were again attacked, on this occasion by a group of approximately 20 heavily armed men who opened fire on them, shooting indigenous leader Vicente Fernandes in the head and killing him. The attackers allegedly attempted to take the body of Mr. Fernandes after killing him but were stopped by the community. Four other Guarani-Kaiowá were shot during the attack, including one teenager who was shot in the arm with live ammunition, and three others who were shot with rubber bullets reportedly restricted to use by the state security forces.
CONCERNS
We express our extreme concern at the killing of indigenous leader Vicente Fernandes Kaiowá and about the security of the indigenous Guarani-Kaiowá of the Pyelito Kue tekhoa, who we deem to be at high risk of suffering further fatal attacks.
We express our dismay that, despite an agreement concerning the demarcation of Guarani-Kaiowá lands in Mato Grosso do Sul being reached in 2007, and the provisions guaranteeing the rights of indigenous and other traditional peoples to their lands in the Brazilian Constitution, these land, like many other indigenous territories in the country, remain unrecognized. As highlighted in the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders following her official country visit to Brazil in 2024, much of the violence against human rights defenders in the country is rooted in conflict over land, with indigenous human rights defenders among those most exposed, and Gaurani-Kaiowá leaders among those most targeted. As stated in the Special Rapporteur’s report, “Remedying injustice and inequality in relation to land is key to the protection of those human rights defenders. In order to stop the killings there must be demarcation, titling and land reform. Invaders must be removed and the crimes that have been perpetrated must be prosecuted, with the intellectual authors brought to justice along with those pulling the trigger.” (A/HRC/58/53/Add.2, para. 41).
