Brazil's new far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has stripped the government department charged with protecting the country's Indigenous people of much of its responsibilities, which distressed critics say could lead to the destruction of dozens of tribes.

Key points: Jair Bolsonaro pledged to refuse any new land rights claims and open existing land up to commercial mining and farming

Jair Bolsonaro pledged to refuse any new land rights claims and open existing land up to commercial mining and farming Brazil is home to about 100 uncontacted tribes, the largest in any one country

Brazil is home to about 100 uncontacted tribes, the largest in any one country Bolsonaro has compared Indigenous people to animals trapped in a zoo

Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported the decision was announced just hours after the new President was sworn in as the country's leader on Tuesday (local time), and confirmed a pre-election pledge to roll back Indigenous rights and protections for the Amazon.

Funai, the department established in 1967 to protect the rights of Brazil's Indigenous people, has been effectively broken up, with one of its biggest responsibilities — to identify and draw boundaries of Indigenous land across the country — handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture.

The rest of Funai will be transferred to the Ministry of Human Rights, which is led by evangelical pastor Damares Alves.

Critics of the change have described it as a "catastrophe" for Brazil's 900,000 Indigenous people, who could face total annihilation.

One of the country's top Indigenous leaders, Sônia Guajajara, posted on social media, "The break-up has begun".

The decision is part of one of Mr Bolsonaro's key election promises — that he would deny new land claims by Indigenous tribes and that he wants to open their land to commercial mining and farming.

He argued they had a right to charge royalties to improve their quality of life and to integrate with the rest of Brazil, comparing them to animals trapped in a zoo.

Brazil is home to about 100 uncontacted Indigenous tribes, the most in the world, and their protection from outsiders is crucial to their survival.

A divisive leader takes charge

Mr Bolsonaro, who won the October 2018 election, was sworn in in front of thousands of supporters, formally taking the reins of Latin America's largest and most populous nation.

During his inauguration speech, Mr Bolsonaro said his election had freed the country from "socialism and political correctness", vowing to tackle corruption, crime and economic mismanagement.

He has fuelled division across the country since the election campaign after he made numerous discriminatory and disrespectful comments about LGBTI people, black people and women.

He created world-wide headlines when he told a woman member of parliament: "I wouldn't rape you because you're not worthy of it."

He has also expressed his fondness for Brazil's brutal military dictatorship, that came to an end in 1985.

The New Year's Day inauguration was the culmination of a journey for the former army captain from a marginalised and even ridiculed congressman, to a leader who many Brazilians hope can combat endemic corruption as well as violence that routinely gives the nation the dubious distinction of being world leader in total homicides.

Sorry, this video has expired Protesters gather on the streets after Jair Bolsonaro's election

The festivities began with a motorcade procession featuring Mr Bolsonaro and his wife, Michelle, standing up in an open-top Rolls-Royce, along the main road leading to Congress and other government buildings.

As his motorcade drove by, supporters chanted "Myth! Myth! Myth!"— a nickname that began years ago with internet memes of Mr Bolsonaro and became more common during last year's campaign.

His middle name is Messias, or Messiah in English, and many supporters believe he was chosen by God to lead Brazil, an assertion bolstered after he survived a stabbing during a campaign rally in September.

"It's an indescribable emotion to be here looking at our President taking power," Marcia Freitas said from among the crowd.

A fan of US President Donald Trump, the 63-year-old former congressman rose to power on an anti-corruption and pro-gun agenda that has energised conservatives and hard-right supporters after four consecutive presidential election wins by the left-leaning Workers' Party.

Mr Trump tweeted his congratulations to the new President.

Mr Bolsonaro is the latest of several far-right leaders around the globe who have come to power by riding waves of anger at the establishment and promising to ditch the status quo.



AP/Reuters