Landless Movement Leader Kidnapped and Killed in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The leader of the Brazilian Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) in Paraná, Ênio Pasqualin, has been found dead. Investigators do not rule out the possibility of a politically motivated death.

His body was found on Sunday morning near the settlement of Ireno Alves dos Santos in the state of Paraná. According to the MST and the Brazilian online news portal Brasil de Fato, the injuries suggest that Pasqualin was shot.

The MST office also reported that Pasqualin was abducted from his home in the settlement of Ireno Alves dos Santos the night before. His wife stated that the kidnappers were two armed men. They entered the family home by force on Saturday night and fled with a truck shortly thereafter. The perpetrators stole money and cell phones and took Ênio Pasqualin hostage.

The Paraná Public Security Authority has not yet commented on the case. . The Civil Police of the municipality of Laranjeiras do Sul is investigating the case and has so far assumed several possible motives, including robbery followed by murder. However, a politically motivated death is not ruled out.

Pasqualin’s family stated that he had receive threats through WhatsApp. Members of the MST and politicians voiced suspicions of intimidation by representatives of the agricultural industry. Federal deputy and leader of the PT (Workers’ Party) Gleisi Hoffmann commented on Twitter that violent evictions and threats against land reform activists have increased greatly since President Jair Bolsonaro took office.

Ênio Pasqualin began working for the MST in 1996 in Saudade do Iguaçu in Paraná. That same year he participated in one of the largest occupation campaigns, in which the Giacomet Marodin, now the Araupel logging company, was taken over by 3,000 MST families. He served as a base coordinator within the movement and finally as chairman in Paraná.