Another amazing and interesting Jesuit for consideration is BROTHER VICENTE CANAS (1939- 1987) a Spanish missionary and Jesuit brother, who is credited with making the first peaceful contact with the Enawene NaweIndian tribe in Brazil
Brother Canas helped the Enawene Nawe secure lands they considered necessary for their survival. In spite of receiving death threats from land owners and cattle ranchers, he successfully lobbied the Brazilian government for the territory to be officially granted for use by the tribe.
The tribe was campaigning for the use of a tract of land known as the Rio Preto, an important fishing area, which was omitted from inclusion in their original territory. They received numerous death threats from the local cattle ranchers subsequent to their lobbying.
The cultural survival of the Enawene Nawe is under constant threat. Their most pressing problem is the location of 5 mini hydroelectric generators located in the Juruena River
The Rio Preto (Adawina/Adowina) region has still not been demarcated, despite many years of work by the Enawene Nawe and a local indigenist NGO, OPAN (Operação Amazonia Nativa).
These threats are because of what Brother Vicente (Kiwxi) saw all those years ago - colonization of the state of Mato Grosso and Amazonia by soya mono-culturalists led by the Maggi family.
In 1987, a group of ranchers entered the home of Brother Vicente, near the village of the Enawene Nawe tribe, and stabbed him to death. Subsequently, the investigation into his murder was marred by corruption and incompetence and none of the 6 suspected murderers people were initially charged.
Nineteen years after his murder, the trial of those accused of killing him began in Cuiabá, capital of Mato Grosso state. The landmark trial began on the 24th of October 2006 and as of this date, the outcome has not been determined. Three men, which include the former police chief are finally on trial. Two of the other accused murderers have long since died and a third man has been deemed "too old" to stand trial.
Brother Vicente Canas Costa was born on October 22, 1939 in Alborea in Albacete , Spain Brazil Brazil
Brother Vicente was found dead on May 16, 1987 in his cabin next to the Juruema River in the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil