Indigenous Brazilians set up camp to lobby for their rights

SAO PAULO – Hundreds of indigenous Brazilians are setting up camp in the nation’s capital for a week of speeches, protests and celebrations as they lobby the government to protect their rights.

Many indigenous groups say President Michel Temer’s government hasn’t done enough to protect their lands from encroachment by business interests.

Military police in the capital of Brasilia said around 1,000 people have gathered Monday. Organizers expect that number to grow to around 3,000. During last year’s Free Land Encampment, a protest turned violent. Police fired tear gas, and demonstrators responded with spears and arrows.

Latin America’s largest nation is home to numerous indigenous peoples, many of them in the Amazon region. Clashes with farmers, ranchers, and loggers are common, and the violence has increased in recent years.