War along the border

Maraas Novas in Serpa, on the Brazil/ Bolivian border is home to the ‘Raki' People. These Amazonian tribespeople, have lived off the land for centuries.

José Flores Mamani, Head of the Bolivian Rural Development and Land, continues to try and annex this land for clearing, and coco growing, displacing the Raki. Mamani is a former coco grower and it is through the plantation owners he garners power. Reginaldo Alves Braz is the new right-wing Brazilian head of the region - a billionaire, who has promised to “break the system” and depart from the status quo after a tumultuous few years. The Raki are suffering from both sides.

Brazil suffered from a deep recession starting in 2016. That economic crisis was accompanied by political turmoil.  Against this backdrop, a rise in violent crime left some voters yearning for order and security, which Braz — an ex-military officer — promised to deliver. He has no interest in the historic nor indigenous life of the area and it is said is happy to rent the land, at a price, to the Bolivian coffee/ timber conglomerates – this will displace almost 1 million of Bolivians/ Brazilians indigenous tribes.

To counter this, a volunteer force of rebel fighters, named the Marxist CIdN has established itself as the primary military opposition to the Bolivian and Brazilian forces. They are young, idealists, who fight and patrol the border assisting refugees and engaging government troops in combat. After ISIL troops in Syria, CidN have the shortest life expectancy of any military organisation globally.

Most volunteers die before their 24th birthday. This is their story.