‘We are many’: Indigenous candidates aim to transform Brazil politics

Clad in a feathered collar, Romancil Gentil Kretã took to a small stage in Brazil’s capital earlier this year as thousands of Indigenous people watched on. Mr. Kretã has dedicated his life to advocating for Indigenous rights, and by launching a bid for political office he said he now hoped to bring that fight to the halls of power.

“For me, it’s a new moment, it’s a new challenge,” said Mr. Kretã, a member of the Kaingang people, announcing his plans to run for Paraná state legislature. “I have a commitment to the Indigenous cause.”

Mr. Kretã’s father was Brazil’s first Indigenous city councilor, killed in 1980 for defending Indigenous lands. Violence against Indigenous people hasn’t let up since, but observers say it has intensified over the past four years under far-right