Paraguay sacks indigenous affairs chief for 'kicking indigenous woman'

'The moment the indigenous representative kicks an indigenous woman, I have no defence for keeping him.'

Jorge Servin speaking to journalists during the indigenous protest (ABC TV Paraguay/ YouTube)

Paraguay’s president has sacked the head of the country’s indigenous affairs office following claims he “kicked an indigenous woman”.

A video uploaded online, allegedly shows the indigenous affairs chief, Jorge Servin, lifting his knee and kicking Jorgelina Portillo of the Ava Guarani ethnic group with the sole of his shoe on Thursday as he walked through a protest taking place outside his office.

President Horacio Cartes said on Friday he would not allow someone who represents indigenous people to kick an ethnic woman.

“Whoever represents the indigenous and kicks them, I don’t want to discuss it, they have to go,” said Mr Cartes, according to the EFE news agency.

"For me he has to go. The moment that the indigenous representative kicks an indigenous woman, I have no defense for keeping him.”

Mr Servin has denied striking the woman and says he lifted leg only in self-defence as he walked through demonstrators.

The demonstration, held by around 200 members of the Ava Guarani ethnic group, protested a bill sent by Mr Servin to congress, which would restrict the leasing of state land managed by indigenous people.

Scene from the demonstration YouTube (ABC TV Paraguay/ YouTube)

The National Institute for the Indigenous is a government department responsible for developing policies to address discrimination and other problems confronting Paraguay’s 19 indigenous communities.

Around two per cent of the Paraguayan population identify as indigenous.

Additional reporting by Associated Press