From the very first days of his third term, Lula launched a series of decisive and symbolic actions: the resumption of territorial demarcations, the unprecedented appointment of an Indigenous woman to lead FUNAI, and the historic creation of a Ministry of Indigenous Peoples. These three measures answered, point for point, the requests made by Chief Raoni Metuktire in a letter written from his village of Metuktire, following his interview for the film Amazonia, the Heart of Mother Earth. In the film, he shares the context: his hopes for the future, but also the wounds of the past – particularly the Belo Monte dam, a symbol of betrayal. This letter, hand-delivered to Lula by the filmmakers during a filmed meeting in Brasília in May 2022, unexpectedly became a catalyst for dialogue. Whether it confirmed an existing political course or rekindled a strained bond, the result was clear: the measures soon followed.

This rapprochement took on a public dimension on January 1, 2023, during the presidential inauguration. On the ramp of the Palácio do Planalto, Lula was accompanied by a small group of symbolic representatives – among them Chief Raoni Metuktire, the sole Indigenous presence. Together, they climbed the steps to the top, where the presidential sash was placed on Lula’s shoulders. It was a powerful image, broadcast worldwide, sealing a long-awaited reconciliation – though not erasing the scars of the past.

Yet this reconciliation, however moving, does not erase either the past or the demands of the present. In April 2025, when President Lula visited the village of Piaraçu to award Chief Raoni the National Order of Merit, the latter clearly voiced his opposition to the proposed oil exploration in the Amazon delta. It was a firm reminder that this renewed trust rests not on forgetfulness, but on constant vigilance.

In Amazonia, the Heart of Mother Earth, the dialogue and encounter between these two historic figures – one a head of state, the other a guardian of the forest – unfold as a respectful confrontation, laden with memory and expectation. Lula’s exclusive interview, woven throughout the film, reveals a leader conscious of the limits of political action, yet aware of the responsibility he bears in advancing the recognition of Indigenous rights and protecting the Amazon. It is a moment of truth at the crossroads of reparation, responsibility, and hope.