May 23, 2002

At 7:20PM local time in the Court of Justice of the State of Pará in Belém, Judge Robert Moura announced the sentence that condemned the official, Major Jose Maria Oliveira, to 158 years and four months of reclusion. Despite the conviction of 04 votes to 03, the officer who commanded the Parauapebas troop in the Eldorado dos Carajás conflict, will wait in freedom for the decision of the cancellation of the judgment, which will be petitioned by the defense attorneys.

Major Oliveira was convicted, but the same thing that occurred in the conviction of Colonel Pantoja was repeated. He has convicted, but he was not arrested, explained an MST leader from Pará Raimundo Nonato. For the Landless Movement, this confirms the farce. The Jury Hall also remained empty, with the absence of almost the all human rights entities due to the MST decision not to participate in what was considered an unjust trial because of the failure to postpone the start date after a new judge was appointed.