The inauguration of the Special Border Detachment (Destacamento Especial de Fronteira /DEF) of Waikás, on Thursday (30), expands the Federal Government’s presence in the Yanomami Indigenous Lands, in the state of Roraima. The inaugural ceremony had the presence of Brazilian Army Commander, General Tomás Paiva. This new facility will boost the government’s capabilities against illegal gold mining at the indigenous lands, as well as the protection and security of the indigenous communities in the region.

The plaque was unveiled during the inauguration of the Special Border Detachment in Waikas, in the Yanomami Indigenous Lands. Images: Bruno Mancinelle / Government House.

During the inauguration, General Paiva highlighted the importance of coordinating activities between the federal government agencies in the task force for the security and protection of the territory and indigenous peoples. “Our priority is to ensure that indigenous peoples have access to security, health and a preserved environment. The cooperation between the army and civilian agencies is essential for this,” he said. 

Army Commander General Tomás Miguel Miné Ribeiro Paiva during a visit to the Special Border Detachment in Waikas, in the Yanomami Indigenous Lands. Image: Bruno Mancinelle/Government House.

Also in attendance at the ceremony were the Military Commander of the Amazon, General Ricardo Augusto Ferreira Costa Neves, and the Chief of Education and Culture of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, General Francisco Humberto Montenegro Junior. Officials from the Government House, the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples [Fundação Nacional dos Povos Indígenas/FUNAI], the Special Indigenous Health District [Distrito Sanitário Especial Indígena/Dsei] and the Management and Operational Center of the Amazon Protection System [Centro Gestor e Operacional do Sistema de Proteção da Amazônia/Censipam] were also present.

DEF structure and operation

The DEF in Waikás has accommodations, administrative facilities and operational areas to support the activities of the security forces. The construction work was completed in approximately 18 months. 

Aerial view of the Special Border Detachment (DEF) in Waikas, in the Yanomami Indigenous Land.

In addition to reinforcing the State's presence in the region, the detachment will function as a strategic hub for actions to combat illegal mining, due to its privileged location. The unit will allow integrated air and river operations, facilitating the monitoring of the Yanomami Indigenous Lands, and speeding up the response against invaders. The proximity to areas historically affected by illegal mining will also strengthen control over access routes used by miners and other illicit activities.

“The Waikás Special Border Detachment is an essential step towards ensuring a permanent State presence in the region. We will see a qualitative leap in the protection and patrolling of the Uraricoera River, as a result of coordinated action between several agencies, with emphasis on the coordination work of the Government House,” added General Paiva.

The Waikás region is one of the most affected by illegal mining within the Yanomami Indigenous Territory, bringing serious environmental and social impacts. Mineral exploration in the area has deforested vast areas of the forest, contaminated the rivers with mercury and generated violent conflicts between invaders and indigenous people. In addition, the illegal activity has triggered a humanitarian crisis, worsening malnutrition and facilitating the spread of disease among the Yanomami.

Since the beginning of the Federal Government's actions in the Territory, there has been a significant drop in the opening of new areas of illegal exploration. In 2022, 1,002 hectares of new mining sites were identified in the Indigenous Territory. In 2023, this number fell to 115 hectares and, by December 2024, only 42 hectares of new mining sites were recorded, representing a reduction of 95.76% compared to 2022, according to data from Censipam.