Política indigenista, território e resistência: uma análise das atas da Câmara Municipal de Rio tinto - Paraíba (2020-2024)

Abstract

This study discusses aspects of local politics in the Municipality of Rio Tinto concerning issues related to the Potiguara people. Grounded in Political Ecology, a field that examines power relations in access to resources and territorial rights, the research analyzes the minutes of the Rio Tinto Municipal Council over a five-year period (2020-2024). The objective is to identify the actors responsible for advancing indigenous demands and to understand how governance directed toward this population has been conducted within the local political context. The study also seeks to understand how indigenous peoples have occupied these spaces of power, one of the municipality’s key decision-making spaces. In doing so, it broadens the range of information that can and should be accessible to society, identifying both the presence and absence of indigenous issues within the local political landscape. The methodology consisted of bibliographic and documentary research, including a systematic reading of the council minutes through a qualitative analysis, highlighting themes related to indigenous peoples, with particular emphasis on the Potiguara of Paraíba. This approach contributed to a better understanding of the importance of environmental governance exercised by representatives of the municipal legislative branch, while also emphasizing the importance of public engagement with the historical record of actions concerning environmental issues in both the municipality and the Potiguara territory