President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil issued a provisional measure on Tuesday and a decree on Wednesday restructuring the responsibilities of the ministry of agriculture, including giving the ministry control over the creation and regulation of indigenous lands and reserves.

Bolsonaro took office on January 1 after his victory in the October elections. He is recognized as a right-wing politician with the slogan, “Brazil before everything, and God above all.”

The restructuring of the ministry’s responsibilities worries indigenous and environmental groups as it took away the power of Funai, the National Indian Foundation (Brazil) over orders affecting indigenous lands. The ministry of agriculture in Brazil is heavily influenced by agribusiness lobbying and has groups concerned about the indigenous lands, especially as deforestation is on the rise. In a quote to the Guardian, the executive coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous People of Brazil (Apib), Dinaman Tuxá, commented, “There will be an increase in deforestation and violence against indigenous people. … Indigenous people are defenders and protectors of the environment.” Apib also put out a release Thursday decrying the policies of Bolsonaro and calling on the people of Brazil to file a “ação popular,” a popular action/class action to neutralize the actions of Bolsonaro and his administration.

Bolsonaro defended the measure, tweeting:

More than 15% of the national territory is demarcated as indigenous land and quilombolas. Less than a million people live in these isolated places in Brazil, exploited and manipulated by NGOs. Let us together integrate these citizens and value all Brazilians.”

Marina Silva, the former environment minister responded in a tweet, “Bolsonaro began his government in the worst possible way.”