The “paradise destroyed” by “the just war”: A dialogue between Las Casas and Vitória in the concealment of indigenous people by European colonizers

Abstract

The domination and consequent exploitation of Amerindians did not occur, nor does it occur by chance. It is a continuous process that has come since the arrival of the European in the Americas, who believed that it was possible to explore such indigenous bodies due to their (lack of) humanity and rationality, having as a point of comparison the European being itself. Regarding this process of conquest of the Americas and, therefore, of the Amerindians, which culminated in their domination and concealment, there are two Spanish thinkers who stand out: Francisco de Vitoria and Bartolomé de Las Casas. Thus, the objective of this study is to establish a link between the speeches of the aforementioned authors, seeking to heighten the influence of the same way in which the original peoples were treated and, equally, if their thoughts can still be used as a way of "downgrading - them”, as observed in Brazil. Therefore, a deductive study is carried out by, first, highlighting the thoughts of Vitória and Las Casas, so that the reflections of their opinions on the treatment of Americans today can be stressed. Thus, insofar as the cited authors thoughts serve as a basis for the reflections of the current scenario, the analysis of the objectives follows the descriptive and explanatory method. In the end, through this bibliographical research, it is concluded that the problems presently faced by indigenous peoples in Brazil do derive from the coloniality that remains from the arrival of the European, which insists on concealing native peoples despite the normative instruments existing today that, in fact, are aimed to increase plurality through the recognition of their rights.