Brazilian Forces Raze Vila Cururu as Illegal Mining Destroyed 44.8 sq km in Sararé
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 20
Brazilian Forces Raze Vila Cururu as Illegal Mining Destroyed 44.8 sq km in Sararé
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 20
Summary
Vila Cururu, a sprawling illegal gold-mining settlement inside Brazil’s Sararé Indigenous territory, was left deserted after security forces launched a land-and-air assault in late March and burned makeshift structures and excavators.
44.8 sq km of Sararé has been destroyed since the gold rush began about five years ago, with 4% of its forests lost between January 2024 and August 2025 as miners dug tunnels, used explosives and contaminated water with mercury.
Lula’s government says the operation is part of its drive to expel illegal miners from Indigenous lands, but officials say crackdowns elsewhere, including Yanomami territory, helped push miners south into Sararé while record gold prices kept the rush profitable.
300 kg of ammonium nitrate and signs of recent footprints showed miners may still be operating, and Indigenous leaders warned intruders would likely return once troops leave.
2024 gunfights and murder reports underscored rising violence around the mines, while Lula allies argue his re-election is critical to sustaining the clampdown against a multibillion-dollar illegal industry.
Beyond bullets and bulldozers, how can Brazil combat the invisible legacies of mercury poisoning and disease in the Amazon?
As US policy labels Brazil's gangs as terrorists, will the Amazon's resource war ignite an international conflict?
Can new EU rules on clean goods halt the Amazon's destruction faster than crime syndicates can fuel it?
Sararé 2026: Inside Brazil’s Largest Crackdown on Illegal Amazon Gold Mining and Its Human and Environmental Toll
Overview
On July 15, 2026, a major operation led by the Federal Police, IBAMA, and the Brazilian Army targeted illegal mining in the Sararé Indigenous Territory. Authorities destroyed dozens of mining camps, airstrips, and processing facilities, and rendered heavy machinery inoperable. The operation culminated in the razing of Vila Cururu, a central hub for illegal gold mining. This crackdown responded to soaring deforestation and mercury pollution, which threatened the Nambiquara people and their environment. The decisive actions disrupted organized crime networks and marked a significant step in protecting both the land and its Indigenous inhabitants.