Cardinal Leonardo Steiner, the first cardinal from the Amazon region, has condemned escalating violence and land seizures targeting Indigenous communities in Brazil, attributing the conflict to disputes over territory and economic pressures.

Steiner, who serves as Archbishop of Manaus, told Crux Now that “Our society is experiencing tremendous tension when it comes to human dignity, and Indigenous people, of course, suffer because their lands are coveted.” The Cardinal’s remarks came as the Missionary Council of Brazil (CIMI) released data documenting a surge in killings and territorial conflicts affecting Indigenous populations.

Rising Death Toll and Land Conflicts

According to CIMI’s annual report, 258 Indigenous people were murdered in 2025—a significant increase from 211 killings in 2024. The organization also documented 169 active land disputes, many rooted in competition between Indigenous communities and large landowners seeking access to Amazon resources.

Cases of brutality underscore the gravity of the crisis. An Indigenous young man was branded with a hot iron on a farm, an incident that illustrates the violence accompanying territorial conflicts. These confrontations extend beyond isolated incidents to reflect systemic pressures on Indigenous land rights.

Constitutional and Legislative Conflict

The violence occurs amid a legal battle over Indigenous land recognition. Large landowners have argued that only territories occupied by Indigenous groups on the date Brazil’s 1988 Constitution took effect qualify for recognition as Indigenous lands—a position known as the time-limit thesis.

Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled the time-limit thesis unconstitutional in 2023. However, months later, Congress passed Law 14.701, which incorporated the rejected framework into statute. The Supreme Court has since begun reviewing the constitutionality of the new law, but justices have not yet issued a final ruling.

Church Assessment of Government Efforts

Cardinal Steiner acknowledged the efforts of Brazil’s government under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, telling Crux Now that “The government has accomplished a great deal from an economic and social standpoint, but if the makeup of Congress were different, the government could have done even more, especially when it comes to Indigenous issues.” His comment reflects tension between executive and legislative branches on Indigenous protection—the Senate and Chamber of Deputies include many lawmakers aligned with agricultural and development interests that compete for Amazon lands.

Steiner’s Path and Witness

Steiner brings decades of commitment to the region and the Church’s teaching on human dignity. A Franciscan friar since 1976, he was ordained bishop in 2005 and appointed to lead the Manaus archdiocese by Pope Francis in 2019. Pope Francis created him a cardinal in 2022, recognizing both his leadership and the Church’s deepening engagement with Amazon issues.

The Cardinal’s public intervention reflects the Church’s consistent teaching that the goods of creation belong to all humanity, and that the dignity and rights of Indigenous peoples—rooted in their connection to ancestral lands and cultural survival—merit protection under justice. Pope Francis has made defense of Indigenous communities and the Amazon ecosystem recurring themes of his papacy, viewing exploitation of both as forms of ecological and social injustice.

What Follows

As Brazil’s Supreme Court continues deliberation on Law 14.701, the outcome will determine whether the time-limit thesis becomes binding law or is struck down. Cardinal Steiner’s public witness, alongside CIMI’s documentation, is intended to pressure lawmakers and judges to prioritize Indigenous rights over commercial interests. The Church’s advocacy is likely to intensify as the violence continues and legal proceedings advance.