Impacts of Pesticides in Indigenous and Rural Communities at the Mato Grosso Do Sul State, Brasil (2019-2024): Flexibilization of Laws and New Colonialism

Cases of pesticide contamination in Brazil have become increasingly frequent and have led to the sickening of the most vulnerable communities, especially children and pregnant women. Despite the fact that cases of contamination are becoming more frequent and intense, the legality of pesticide use in Brazil is being extended due to lobbying by agriculturalists in the Legislative (National Congress and Municipal Assemblies) and Executive (Ministries and Presidency) branches. One example is Bill (PL) 1.459/22, known as the “Poison Bill”, whose sections vetoed by the president included the automatic release of pesticides by member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Political interests linked to pesticides include, on the one hand, the agro-export development model adopted by Brazil since the 2000s and, on the other, the ample supply of pesticides by Europe, which does not use them on its own national territory. As a result, we have a widespread tolerance of pesticide use in Brazil which, despite being legal, poses profoundly dangerous health risks. This paper uses the notion of new colonialism to explain how Europe acts as an importer of agricultural commodities while exporting pesticides, in a conceptual translation of (new) colonialism. On this side of the border, the paper also argues that Brazil acts to deteriorate the terms of trade of its balance of trade, while internalizing contamination, illnesses and the exploitation of indigenous and peasant lands.