A Brazilian federal court has ordered non-Indigenous occupants to leave the Piripkura Indigenous Territory in Mato Grosso. The ruling, issued on 7 October, gives them 120 days to remove their workers, cattle, machinery and other belongings. Anyone who remains after the deadline faces a daily fine of 500 Brazilian reais.
The territory is home to at least two Piripkura people who choose to live without contact with wider society. Special protection rules have restricted outsiders' access since 2008. However, a court decision in 2025 allowed some cattle farmers to stay; the new ruling reverses that decision.
The order follows evidence of illegal forest clearing and cattle farming. Inspectors also discovered secret airstrips reportedly linked to drug trafficking. Funai, Brazil's Indigenous affairs agency, warns that unwanted contact could expose the Piripkura to diseases against which they have no immunity, as well as violence linked to organised crime.
Funai will oversee the operation, with support from environmental and security authorities if needed. Officials want occupants to leave voluntarily, although police may help remove anyone who refuses. They must organise the operation carefully to avoid contact with the isolated people and prevent further environmental damage.
