Sentenced to misery

Anxiety, insomnia, vertigo, dismay, and self-isolation are some of the deleterious effects the indigenous Chief Serere, leader of the Xavante tribe, has been experiencing as a result of his nine-month imprisonment at the Penitentiary of Papuda. Released on September 9, by the order of justice Alexandre de Moraes from the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Serere is now just one more citizen among the lot who have become prisoners of fear in Brazil. Like most of those awaiting trial in the purgatory of the innocent, he wears an ankle monitor and faces several restrictions. This state of affairs shows that those whose lives are abruptly disrupted rarely escape severe emotional distress.

Accustomed to roaming the more than 200 thousand hectares of the Parabubure indigenous land in the interior of the state of Mato Grosso, Serere spends hours near a power outlet to recharge the monitoring device and cannot venture beyond a 1-kilometer radius from the house where he lives with his wife, Sueli, and six children in Aragarças, in the state of Goiás, approximately 400 kilometers from Goiânia, the capital city. Also, Serere can only leave the house between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Should he violate the court orders, he could return to the hellish confinement he endured since December 2022 for protesting President Lula’s election and uttering insults against Supreme Court justices.

In the month following his arrest, Serere published a letter apologizing for the harsh words he had directed at Alexandre de Moraes and the other Supreme Court justices. In the document, the indigenous leader asserts that he “never advocated for a democratic rupture,” but only criticized Lula’s victory in the 2022 election. He also stated that he does not believe in violence as a method of political action. “I understand that love, forgiveness, and reconciliation are the only possible paths for life in society,” Serere affirms in the letter addressed to the Court.

Before the written declaration, he released a video asking his supporters not to commit violence or vandalism in response to his arrest. In the footage recorded directly from the headquarters of the Federal Police in Brasília, the chief speaks in his native language, Aquém. “Do not engage in conflict, fighting, or confrontation with law enforcement authorities,” the indigenous leader advised. During this period, the federal capital suffered attacks on public buildings and the destruction of cars and trash cans. These acts were allegedly incited by Serere. The judiciary also accused the indigenous leader of causing disturbances at the Brasília Airport – claims that were rejected by his defense. Over this period, neither the National Indian Foundation (Funai) nor the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples provided assistance to Serere.

Emotionally distressed

In conversations with lawyer Geovane Pessoa, who is part of Serere’s defense team, Sueli sometimes mentions not recognizing her husband due to his impatience and haste to “resolve everything instantly.” She reports that she needs to remain very calm, especially on sleepless nights due to Serere’s pacing around the house. Serere has been struggling to sleep due to the traumas he experienced in prison. Being a motoboy (a motorbike courier) eager to go back to work, he visibly gets nervous when reminded that he cannot stray too far from his home and ends up choosing to stay in and help with household chores, which also drives him crazy.

The ankle monitor not only prevents him from earning a living but also from getting treatment for his type 2 diabetes. According to Pessoa, a medical report indicated that the indigenous leader is at risk of losing limbs if the disease is not treated properly. “There are moments when his vision becomes blurry,” the lawyer said. The illness worsened during his time at the Penitentiary of Papuda, when justice Moraes ignored the defense’s requests to change Serere’s diet (he cannot consume certain foods without risking illness) and provide the necessary medications to alleviate the condition.

A few days ago, Pessoa filed requests to have the ankle monitor removed to allow Serere access to proper medical treatment. Since the chief doesn’t have health insurance and cannot afford private treatment, the defense secured support from a doctor at a clinic in Lucas do Rio Verde (state of Mato Grosso), approximately 900 kilometers from Serere’s residence. “In Aragarças, there is no hospital that can provide the specialized treatment he needs, nor in the surrounding area,” Pessoa informed. “I managed to secure a doctor who can voluntarily treat him in Rio Verde. She has all the necessary equipment. But the ankle monitor needs to be removed; otherwise, he will be sent back to prison.”

According to the lawyer, Serere gets deeply moved when he thinks about the ceremony that will take place in his tribe on October 8th. His 12-year-old son, Carlos, will be honored with a title that places him in the line of succession for leadership. As a chief, Serere should participate in the ritual. Local tradition dictates that the father must bless the son and present him to the eldest member so that the young successor takes on the position and the responsibilities that come with it. Usually, the patriarch guides the chosen one on how to handle certain situations and prepares him for his new role.

Pessoa pointed out that Serere has already served his sentence – for a crime he didn’t commit, according to the lawyer. “The chief did undue overtime at Papuda,” the defense complained. “There’s no reason for him to wear an ankle monitor or face further restrictions.” In March, Lindora Araújo, Deputy Attorney General of the Republic and responsible for requesting the indigenous leader’s imprisonment to the Supreme Court at the end of last year, reiterated a petition for his release to justice Moraes. “As the owner of the case, the Deputy Attorney General did not see any more reasons for Serere to remain in custody in that month,” Pessoa said. “Nevertheless, he was kept in prison during that time.”

Delicate Financial Situation

Unemployed, unable to work to support their children, and without relatives nearby, Serere and Sueli survive on the assistance from a church in the United States. The leader of the American church, a Brazilian, has known the indigenous leader for some time, as Serere is not only a chief but also a pastor. However, the money they receive is just a little more than the minimum wage and does not guarantee the necessary support. Additionally, there is a fundraising effort via Pix (a money transfer method), with the funds being deposited into Sueli’s bank account. This money also helps with the repairs their home requires.

The place where Serere currently resides is in poor condition and in urgent need of renovation. When it rains, water drips in the three rooms of the house through numerous leaks in the roof, wetting the few household appliances the family has. Instead of paint on the walls, there is only plaster. The situation is not much different from the other houses in the semi-urban area where the property is located. The village, referred to by the lawyer as a “currutela (a small rural community),” has limited amenities like a bakery and a small grocery store. When someone has serious health issues, they need to travel to distant municipalities to get assistance.

Serere’s house was hastily purchased by his wife with the little money she had left shortly after the chief’s imprisonment. This was because left-wing indigenous left-wingers began to threaten Serere’s family, the lawyer explained. The chief thought the best to do was to protect his relatives and, from prison, provided instructions for them to relocate from the village to a more remote location.

If he can get unrestricted freedom, Serere intends to resume his role as the chief of the village, primarily to continue the social work he had been doing, including addressing drug-related issues. The chief’s lawyer explains that since Serere was imprisoned, many indigenous people have completely succumbed to drug addiction. It is not unusual to see them begging for money on the streets of Campinápolis, where the Parabubure indigenous land is located, only to later buy crack and marijuana from local drug dealers. The lawyer laments, however, that Serere’s ordeal, unfortunately, has no date to end.