Haroldo Silva Betcel

On Saturday, 29 September 2018, at approximately 9 pm, Haroldo de Silva Betcel, known as “Vel”, a resident of Quilombo Tiningu and an ex-soccer player, was stabbed to death with a screwdriver in Santarém, Pará, Brazil.

There have been many recent land conflicts in this area. According to information from the Comissão Pastoral da Terra the suspects, Silvio and Tadeu (father and son)  claimed ownership of an area located  inside the Quilombo Tiningu.

They wanted to recover these lands, which would have shut down the water supply which was also used by the indigenous communities, fishermen, and fishermen of the Santareno plateau, as well as in local in health clinics.

Additionally, according to reports received: “For the civil police, there is no doubt that the housekeeper of Silvio Tadeu was  Haroldo’s murderer. The police have issued an arrest warrant for this man, identified only as Doriédson.


If you would like to provide a personal recollection, please email us at: HRDMemorial@frontlinedefenders.org

Region:Americas

Country:Brazil

Department/Province/State:Para

Nickname:Vel

Sex1:Male

Date of Killing:29/09/2018

Previous Threats:No

Type of Work:Community leader

Sector or Type of Rights the HRD Worked On:Civil and Political Rights, ESC Rights

Sector Detail:Afro Descendant Rights, Land Rights

More information:Front Line Defenders

1This database records an individual's chosen gender identity. If they do not self-identify as male or female they can use the option of recording other/neither or use the term NBGI (non binary gender identity).