O avanço do agronegócio frente às terras indígenas Kaiowá e Guarani: um estudo sobre os “arrendamentos”

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the practice of "leasing" on Indigenous lands of the Kaiowá and Guarani peoples in the southern region of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul from the Marxist perspective of the critique of political economy. These "leases," considered illegal under Brazilian law, reflect a phenomenon of primitive accumulation that disrupts the traditional communal relationship with the land, transforming it into a commodity destined for the production of export-oriented agricultural commodities such as genetically modified soy and corn. The research is grounded in the historical-dialectical materialist theoretical framework to analyze the inherent contradictions of the capitalist system, highlighting how the expansion of agribusiness into Indigenous lands is a consequence of the financialization of agriculture. Using historical analysis, juridico-political documents published by the Brazilian state, literature review, and interviews with young Indigenous leaders, the dissertation seeks to understand not only the origins and developments of the "leasing" phenomenon but also its socio-environmental impacts. The study connects the issue of leasing to the historical Indigenous policies implemented by the state and proposes a critical reflection on the need for an analytical perspective that considers the interrelations between the struggle for territorial rights and the necessity of constructing a viable alternative to the capitalist system. Ultimately, this dissertation aims to be a first incursion into the unfolding of a structural problem affecting Indigenous communities, contributing to the expansion of academic debate on the subject and serving as a theoretical resource for the struggles of the Kaiowá and Guarani.