According to Survival International, Marcos Veron, 70, an important leader of the Brazilian Guarani-Kaiowá tribe, was fatally shot by gunmen on January 15th. He was the head of an indigenous community that has been trying for the last fifty years to reclaim their land from cattle ranchers. In 2000, Veron toured Europe to publicize the plight of indigenous peoples of Brazil. Most recently, Veron and the Guarani-Kaiowá have been living on the side of a highway, after attempts to re-occupy parts of their land have been thwarted by armed police and soldiers. Veron is the third Brazilian Indian to be murdered since the start of the New Year.
