BRAZIL’S far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was accused of having blood on his hands yesterday after a young indigenous land-defender was shot dead by illegal loggers in the Amazon.

Paulo Paulino Guajajara was shot in the head on Friday while hunting in Arariboia reservation in Maranhao state.

Another indigenous land-defender, Tainaky Tenetehar, was injured in the attack.

Both were members of the Guardians of the Forest group, which aims to protect the area from illegal logging and farming activity.

Violence against indigenous land-defenders has escalated since Mr Bolsonaro came to power.

The far-right leader has consistently voiced support for loggers and the right for big business to exploit Brazil’s natural resources.

Justice Minister Sergio Moro insisted that the perpetrators would be found, with federal police investigating.

“We will spare no effort to bring those responsible for this serious crime to justice,” he said.

But Brazil’s pan-indigenous organisation APIB, representing 900,000 people, said Mr Guajajara’s body was still lying in the forest.

“The Bolsonaro government has indigenous blood on its hands,” it said in a statement.

“The increase in violence in indigenous territories is a direct result of his hateful speeches and steps taken against our people.”