In Memoriam: Remembering 41 Indigenous Defenders Who Were Murdered in 2024 in Latin America

Content Note: The following includes disturbing information on violence against Indigenous Peoples. We have strived to provide information on each individual in celebration of their lives and work, without gratuitous detail on their deaths. While we have worked to avoid linking to sources with graphic imagery, please note that the sources linked may contain further details, and images may be changed by websites after we have reviewed them.

Globally, 64.8% of all attacks against defenders were against those defending land and territories. Latin America is still one of the most dangerous regions to be an Indigenous rights and environmental defender, with three out of four assassinations of environmental defenders taking place there. Indigenous defenders face a double threat: defending rights and being Indigenous. In 2023, 49% of murdered environmental or land defenders were Indigenous or Afro-descendants, a disproportionately high figure given that Indigenous Peoples comprise roughly 6% of the global population.

It is important to take into consideration that killings are just the tip of the iceberg, and that before reaching that point, a variety of violence has occurred. According to the latest data from the Alliance for Land, Indigenous, and Environmental Defenders, for every killing of an Indigenous land and environmental defender documented in 2022, at least five non-lethal attacks took place.

As part of our Advocacy Program, Cultural Survival tracks violence against Indigenous defenders in an effort to draw connections amongst these cases and demonstrate that this crisis, rather than being a set of unconnected attacks on individual people, is systemic.

We do this work to raise awareness about this systemic persecution of Indigenous defenders, but also for the sake of memory. The Indigenous defenders who were killed throughout 2024 will never be forgotten by their families and communities. The gap they leave in their communities and cultures cannot be filled, and this gap is equally important outside of their communities: these are the people defending our planet from environmental collapse and keeping alive critical knowledge on how to protect our ecosystems and how to relate to one another.

Cultural Survival’s compilation of cases is not exhaustive. Our information comes from other media sources and from communities and partner organizations. However, we cannot cover the full scope, and there are certainly cases that do not reach us. Although those people are not specifically named in this In Memoriam, this in no way implies less severity or importance. Our work also aims to honor all those, who, for a variety of reasons, we could not publicly identify, and whose struggles will continue to resonate in their communities, territories, and families.

Our purpose is to make all names and legacies known regardless of how much attention the case received, especially uplifting those less covered by the media. When we were informed of otherwise unpublished cases by community partners, we ensured that it was safe to publish, always obtaining the community’s consent. Every individual was a beloved person, a community and family member, and someone who is mourned not only for the work they did, but for who they were.

For most cases, a few months after the murder, impunity reigns. In some Latin American countries, the general impunity rate is 90% or more, meaning 10 crimes (or fewer) out of 100 are properly investigated and cleared by the justice system. These figures are optimistic in comparison to crimes against Indigenous defenders. Authorities do not put much effort into investigations related to Indigenous defenders for a variety of reasons, namely due to the frequency of these incidents taking place in remote locations with limited access, collusion of authorities with illegal armed actors or multinational corporations, and a general lack of interest in problems concerning Indigenous Peoples intrinsic to State discrimination against them.

In the profiles below, we remember and mourn 41 Indigenous defenders who were killed in 2024, of which a very high percentage were extremely young. We also recognize and condemn attacks, disappearances, criminalization, and other forms of violence committed against Indigenous defenders worldwide. We acknowledge that our scope is limited and that violence against Indigenous Peoples, and in particular against defenders of rights and the environment, far surpasses the data that we were able to collect. We honor all of the Peoples and communities who have been affected, and we commit to continuing to work for justice for Indigenous land and rights defenders alongside the affected communities.

Defenders are listed by country in alphabetical order, then chronologically by date of the incident.

Argentina

Argentina is home to 35 officially recognized Indigenous Peoples who have specific constitutional rights at the federal level and in the majority of the provinces. Argentina ratified International Labor Organization Convention 169 in 2000 and has been in effect with the status of an international treaty since 2001. Also in effect and incorporated into domestic law are the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Indigenous Peoples in Argentina currently face numerous challenges to their recognition and territorial preservation. Much of this has taken place through the violation of constitutional and treaty rights by President Javier Milei’s government, which has expressed interest in exploiting the natural resources found in Indigenous territories.

In 2013, Argentina enacted Law No. 26.160, which was subsequently extended via Law No. 26.554, known as the Emergency Law in Indigenous Lands. This legislation suspended evictions of Indigenous communities from the lands they have traditionally occupied, including lands managed by national parks. On December 9, 2024, Law 26.160 was repealed, opening the door to a landscape of persecution, evictions, repression, and prosecution against Indigenous Peoples in Argentina.

Juan Carlos Villa: On Sunday, August 11, 2024, Río Negro police officers entered the home of Juan Carlos Villa (Mapuche), firing their weapons. Juan Carlos had not previously been informed about any search or arrest warrant. There were five people in the house at the time, including Juan Carlos’ son, Emanuel, who was cooking for the family and fled when the shooting began.

Juan Carlos was arrested and assaulted by police officer Adrián Lamadrid, who shot him multiple times , also injuring Emanuel. Most of the media coverage portrayed the incident as a confrontation between Juan Carlos and police officers. However, the facts revealed that the only gunshots came from police officers, making Juan Carlos the victim of an execution.

As a result of the dispossession and genocide of the Mapuche Peoples in Argentina, the defense of their territories has also been subject to criminalization, persecution, and murder. The killing of Juan Carlos illustrates the violence and racism prevailing in Argentina towards Indigenous Peoples that defend land, water, and biodiversity.

Brazil

Nega Pataxó: Photo: Ambienta

Nega Pataxó was a professor and leader of the Pataxó Hã Hã Hãe People who worked with youth and women. She was assassinated on January 21, 2024, at the hand of ruralists (businesspeople and owners from the agricultural sector) in an organized attack in which landowners surrounded the community with trucks and shot at them. Two other leaders were also injured.

With the aid of military police in Bahía and the complicity of federal authorities, this group of ruralists , who call themselves “Invasión Cero,” tried to take the Caramuru territory, the traditional territory of the Pataxó People, in the municipality of Potiraguá.

Chief Nailton, one of the leaders injured in the attack, has been a powerful leader in the struggle for the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples in Brazil for decades, organizing workshops on retomada (land reclamation). His perseverance in the defense of his People’s territory has been evident in the recovery of over 50,000 hectares of the Indigenous land Caramuru-Catarina Paraguaçu, along with other communities.
Neri Ramos da Silva: Neri Ramos da Silva, 23, was a young man and new father. He belonged to the Guaraní Kaiowá People in Mato Grosso do Sul. He was assassinated on September 18, 2024, in an armed attack by the police . Two others were also injured in the attack.

Neri’s killing took place amid a backdrop of frequent threats and violence against the Guaraní Kaiowá People, which have been worsening due to an increasing number of territorial disputes with ruralists who are attacking communities with the aim of taking control of their ancestral territories. Just a week before Neri’s murder, his community had suffered another attack that injured three people.

This constant violence against Guaraní Kaiowá communities has raised alarm among various international entities, who are concerned with the situation of Indigenous Peoples in Brazil. In 2024, Jan Jarab, head of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights South America Regional Office, condemned the attacks against the Guaraní Kaiowa People and expressed the urgency of demarcating Indigenous territories. Demarcation would permit the recognition of Indigenous communities and would recognize Indigenous cultures in alignment with international human rights standards.
Fred Souza Garcete: Fred Souza, 15, was a member of the Guaraní Kaiowá People from the officially demarcated Nhanderu Marangatu territory. He was found dead on the morning of September 23, 2024. According to the community, Fred was returning home on his motorcycle within the territory. It was later determined that he had been a victim of violence prior to his death.

The police allege that Fred died in a motorcycle accident, however, the community does not accept this version of events, since Fred’s motorcycle was not found at the scene. They demand a complete investigation of the incident.

It is not a coincidence that Fred Souza was killed just days after Neri Ramos, who belonged to the same People and the same territory where communities are fighting to recover their land in the face of an agroindustry committed to taking advantage of insufficient demarcation of Indigenous lands.

Colombia

Those who dedicate their lives to protecting their territories, maintaining ancestral knowledge, and caring for life continuously find their lives threatened. This causes instability and imbalance in the harmony and buen vivir of Indigenous Peoples and, ultimately, all of humanity. In a UN repor t covering 2016 (the year in which the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, and the Colombian government signed the Peace Accords) through September 2024, 248 murders of environmental leaders in Colombia were documented. The majority of the victims were Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and campesino, and they were murdered primarily by illegal armed groups.

These statistics place Colombia among the countries with the highest rates of homicides against environmental defenders, violence that primarily affects the Pacific, Amazon, and Orinoco regions. The majority of murders take place in the departments of Cauca, Chocó, and Nariño— areas that overlap with a greater presence of FARC dissidents, paramilitary, and drug trafficking groups like the Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, also known as the Gulf Clan.

Despite this alarming landscape of violence, Colombia’s recent ratification of the Escazú agreement was a significant step towards the protection of environmental defenders, as it promotes guaranteed access to information and justice for those who safeguard the land and natural resources.

Rubén Darío Dagua: On January 10, 2024, the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca reported the kidnapping of Nasa leader Rubén Darío Dagua in the municipality of Buenos Aires, northern Cauca. On January 16, the Association reported that the Frente Jaime Martínez (a FARC dissident group) had delivered Rubén Darío's lifeless body.

This situation demands an urgent response from the Colombian government and from the international community to guarantee the protection of Indigenous leaders and their communities. It is essential that effective measures are implemented to safeguard their human rights and to promote a safe environment for the defense of their lives and territories. Rubén’s leadership is a legacy for the cultural resistance and the assertion of rights in a challenging context.
José Alirio Chocué Molano: Photo: Noticias del Cauca vía Facebook

José Alirio Chocué Molano (Nasa) was murdered on January 19, 2024 in his house in the ancestral territory of La Gaitana, Cauca. FARC dissidents are active in this region, and the attack was attributed to illegal armed groups. José was a spiritual Elder and one of the signers of the peace accords. He belonged to the Nasa territory of La Gaitana, Silva municipality.

The Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca issued a statement that reads, in part, “Silencing... the life of an ancestral knowledge keeper represents the cultural disappearance and loss of historical memory of Indigenous Peoples.”

The Indigenous authorities and the Indigenous Guard of La Gaitana and Pueblo Nuevo called for a response from the national government and from international organizations to take action against this type of violence.
Eywar Yamid Moran Campo: Photo: Redes Comunitarias Colnodo

Eywar Yamid Moran Campo (Nasa) was murdered on February 10, 2024. He was returning to his community after participating in a workshop in Santander de Quilichao when he was attacked by two hitmen.

Eywar lived in the Pueblo Nuevo Reserve in the department of Cauca. He was the father of a 10-year-old girl and had an active leadership role in his community. He was a member of the reserve’s Indigenous Guard and had participated in several actions, including a reintegration program for ex-combatants. He was also a signatory of the peace accords.
Dairo Yovani Aquite: Photo: Noticias Tierra Adentro via Facebook

Dairo Yovani Aquite (Nasa), 29, was shot and killed on March 4, 2024, while returning from the Mosoco Reserve. Dairo was an ancestral authority of the Indigenous Reserve of Santa Rosa in Inzá, Cauca, and had been elected by his community of Quiguanás. He previously reported that armed groups had been threatening him and his family.

After his killing, the Ombudsman’s office issued an early alert—a mechanism used for situations of imminent risk—including the municipality of Páez. Dairo’s murder is an example of how many defenders often do not receive the protection they need to save their lives, in spite of having raised the alarm about the threats they face.

These situations also demonstrate the level of violence prevailing in the department of Cauca, where the systematic murder of defenders, presence of armed groups, and recruiting of minors are constant threats to the stability of Indigenous communities.
Carmelina Yule Pavi: Photo: Agencia de Periodismo Investigativo

Carmelina Yule Paví, a Nasa woman from La Bodega, was a leader, human rights defender, and member of the Indigenous Guard of the Toribio Reserve. She was widely known for her work in defending the rights of the women in her community and for resisting the recruitment of minors for illegal activities. Carmelina had suffered the devastation of the armed conflict that affects her region; her two children were murdered in 2020 and 2021, motivating her to become even more active in the struggle.

On March 16, 2024, Carmelina got involved in the search for a minor who had been kidnapped by members of the Frente Dagoberto Ramos, a FARC dissident group. Those demanding the release of the minor received threats that ended in an armed attack against the community of La Bodega. Carmelina was injured along with another person from the community, and she died a day later. Her death motivated President Gustavo Petro to issue an official suspension of the truce between the Colombian government and the Central General Staff of the FARC dissidents.

The Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca responded to Carmelina’s killing, stating: “We cannot allow more innocent blood to be shed; we cannot continue allowing this group of drug traffickers, who call themselves the army of the people, to believe they are the owners of our territories while they murder their own people, immersing the territories in instability.”
Yoli Áchito Rojas: Photo: El Bausodeño vía Facebook

Yoli Áchito Rojas, a recognized Emberá leader and member of the Indigenous Guard of the community of Alto Tumandó, was murdered on March 23, 2024, by a group of armed men. Groups such as the National Liberation Army, Gaitanist Self-Defense Group of Colombia (a neo-paramilitary drug trafficking organization), and others operate outside of the law in the area, creating a tense and dangerous environment for the community.

In addition to his role in the Indigenous Guard, Yoli showed his commitment and leadership as a student representative in Puerto Indio, part of the Río Jurubita Chorí Reserve in Alto Baudó. His commitment to the defense of the rights of his community and his leadership made him a revered figure in his community.
Mary Emilse Bailarín Domicó: Photo: Zona Norte Comunicaciones vía Facebook

Mary Emilse Bailarín Domicó, 22, from the Emberá People, disappeared on May 1, 2024. On May 9, her body was found with signs of torture and sexual assault.

Mary Emilse was a cultural leader and a talented Indigenous artisan of the Emberá community in the municipality of Tierra Alta, Córdoba. Her active participation in the Artisan Organization of Colombia highlighted her commitment to the preservation and promotion of her culture. Her death leaves a void in the hearts of her three-year-old child, her family, and her community, for whom she was an important leader.
Sandra Lorena Anacona: Photo: Indepaz vía X

Sandra Lorena Anacona, 42, was a member of the Canoas Reserve and belonged to the Yanacona People in the rural area of Santander de Quilichao, Cauca. Recognized for her unwavering commitment to her community’s rights, Sandra actively participated in different areas of territorial defense and promotion of Indigenous rights and autonomy. Her leadership and voice spanned across many different spaces of dialogue and community organizing, positioning her as a key person strengthening the social and cultural fabric of her territory.

On May 14, 2024, Sandra was killed in the municipality of La Plata, Huila, under circumstances that are still under investigation. Sandra’s murder has caused profound grief and shock among her family and colleagues who stood with her in their fight. The Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca expressed: “To the family of our compañera Sandra, her mother and her two children, we send them a hug in solidarity filled with strength for these moments. We know the helplessness, the pain, and the rage that her murder causes, but this pain shall bring us together to keep walking in the search for justice. And to Sandra, may the heart of Mother Earth embrace you and hug you. We will see you again in the next community gathering.”
Deyby Yair Bueno Villano: Photo: Análisis Urbano

Deyby Yair Bueno Villano (Nasa), 23, was murdered on June 10, 2024 in El Palo, Caloto municipality. Deyby lived in the area of Guabito and had been a leader in López Adentro. His murder represents a serious loss to Indigenous communities and an attack against the defense of ancestral territory.

The Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca expressed their concern for the grave situation that this region is experiencing and asked human rights organizations to pay attention to the situation of the Nasa People.
Luis Eduardo Vivas: Photo: W Radio

Luis Eduardo Vivas, a leader and traditional medicine practitioner of the Nasa People, was shot and killed on June 25, 2024. The crime was perpetrated by two hitmen in his home in the Indigenous Reserve of Mosoco, municipality of Páez, Cauca. The FARC dissident group Frente Dagoberto Ramos is active in this area.

After his murder, the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca condemned these violent events that threaten the stability and harmony of the Nasa People’s territory and their people. The authorities of the ancestral territory of Mosoco said, “This is the territorial instability that armed groups cause within our territories, and due to this we need to review and further strengthen our governance strategies.” Luis’ murder is under investigation.
Eyber Danilo Poto Pazú: Photo: Min Culturas

Eyber Danilo Poto Azú (Nasa) disappeared on June 22, 2024 in the region of El Tierrero, Caloto municipality, by the members of the Frente Dagoberto Ramos. On June 27, he was murdered by his kidnappers.

Eyber Danilo was a leader of the Nasa People who worked on behalf of the Indigenous Peoples of the northern Cauca. He was also the son of Nelson Lemus, an Indigenous leader and the current Vice Minister of Ethnic Peoples. His murder represents a resurgence of the violence in this region and an escalation of aggression towards community members who are working to secure the well being of their territories.
Bruno Pambelé Moreno: Bruno Pambelé Moreno was an important Indigenous leader, authority, and ancestral knowledge keeper of the Indigenous community of Hitnü, department of Arauca, located in the northern part of the Colombian Orinoquia region. Bruno was murdered on July 7, 2024 when he was intercepted by armed individuals in the municipality of Arauquita. The presence of armed groups such as the National Liberation Army, the Frente 10 of the Joint Eastern Command, and other local organized crime groups had been reported in the area.

The community was forced to handle Bruno’s burial as his attackers denied access to funeral personnel.
Hernando Pai Cuasaluzan: Photo: SOS Llorente Nariño vía Facebook

Hernando Pai Cuasaluzan (Awá), 24, was murdered on July 28, 2024, allegedly by FARC dissidents. He belonged to the Quejuambi Feliciana Reserve, Tumaco municipality, and was an Indigenous Guard who actively participated in community activities in the Reserve. He and the community had been displaced due to increasing violence, though Hernando returned to his territory on his own in 2023.

Members of the Indigenous Unit of the Awá People condemned the violence that persisted against them despite the protection measures granted by the Constitutional Court by means of Resolutions 004/2009, 174/2011, and 620/2017 and Precautionary Measure (MC 61-11) issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. They also urged authorities to guarantee the protection of Hernando’s family and the families of other victims.
Jhon Jairo Forastero: Photo: Chocó7días

Jhon Jairo Forastero was a young man from the Emberá Dobida People from the township of Pavarandó/Alto Baudó. He emigrated to Quibdó, Chocó in search of better work opportunities. Jhon was attacked and murdered on July 31, 2024 when a group of armed, masked men entered his house and started shooting. His 8-year old son, Jhon Leison Forastero, and a close relative, Silvio Mejia Machuca, were also injured.

The Indigenous Authorities Belonging to the Permanent Roundtable of the Indigenous Peoples of Chocó denounced the people from outside the community who have committed violent acts against them in the past, and demanded the authorities investigate this case so that the perpetrators are punished.
Dino Ui Musicue: Photo: WRadio Colombia

Dino Ul Musicue, Nasa leader, community member, and authority in the northern Cauca, lived on the San Francisco Indigenous Reserve in the region of El Flayó, Toribio municipality, Cauca. He was murdered on August 3, 2024, while he was attending a meeting in El Nilo on the Indigenous Reserve of Huellas, Caloto. The attack happened in the middle of a clash between FARC dissidents Frente 57 and the Dagoberto Ramos structure.

The attack on Dino happened in one of the territories that the Ombudsman’s Office had declared as dangerous for social leaders and human rights defenders, mainly for the violent acts perpetrated by illegal armed groups.
Wilfrido Segundo Izquierdo Arroyo: Photo: Universidad del Magdalena vía Facebook

Wilfrido Segundo Izquierdo Arroyo, 21, was a renowned leader of the Arhuaco People of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and student at the University of Magdalena, where he was finishing his studies in Civil Engineering. He was also an active member of the Association of Indigenous Students, integrating ancestral knowledge from his community into his studies. On August 10, 2024, Wilfrido was murdered by hitmen on a motorcycle in the neighborhood of Ciudad Equidad.

The traditional authorities of the Arhuaco People, along with human rights and environmental defenders, condemned his murder and demanded justice for Wilfrido. This event adds to the list of violent incidents that have been registered recently, demonstrating the escalation of violence in the area. Crime rates have increased alarmingly due to the territorial dispute between the Self-Defense Forces of the Conquerors of the Sierra Nevada and the Gulf Clan, both drug trafficking groups. These kinds of events will continue unless the Colombian government takes action to stop them.
Víctor Alfonso Yule Medina: Photo: Página Aida Quilcue via Facebook

Victor Alonso Yule Medina, a Nasa Indigenous Guard, was murdered on August 18, 2024 by armed individuals in the area of Pueblo Viejo, Toribío municipality in the northern Cauca. He was known for his leadership and commitment to his community in protecting and defending life, which he did through his roles as an Indigenous Guard and as President of the Community Action Board. He was also part of a protection program that was created in response to the fact that 17 Indigenous Guards have been murdered by armed groups since 2017.

Victor Alonso’s murder is a call to the national government and international authorities to protect and secure a life free of threats for the defenders of life and territory.
Carlos Andrés Ascue Tumbo: Photo: CRIC

Carlos Andrés Ascue Tumbo, 30, a Kiwe Pu’yaksa (Indigenous Guard) and leader of the Nasa People, was murdered on August 29, 2024. He was also educational coordinator of the Local Education Council of the Pueblo Nuevo Reserve in Caldono municipality, department of Cauca and an anthropology student at Cauca University.

Starting in April 2024, Carlos Andrés had reported to the authorities several threats made by armed groups due to his work defending the territory and human rights. Despite these threats, the government did not take action to prevent his murder.

Carlos Andrés’ loss leaves a profound void in his community. He will be remembered for his commitment to education, the defense of his people, and the values that he embodied as Indigenous Guard.
Julio Zalabata Luque: Photo: Colombia Informa

Julio Zalabata Luque, a Mamo (spiritual leader), founder, and traditional authority of the Arhuaco Kwanimun community, was murdered on September 21, 2024 at the age of 72 in the rural area of the municipality of Pueblo Bello, department of Cesar. He was known for his fundamental role as conciliator and mediator in the resolution of internal conflicts within his community, and his death leaves many people devastated.

On November 4, 2024, Rafael Francisco Hernández Maestre was identified as the presumed perpetrator of the murder. It was determined that Hernández Maestre assaulted Mamo Julio with a stick to rob him before ultimately killing him. This act of violence highlights the vulnerability that Indigenous leaders face in this region.
Daniel Nolavita: Photo: Indepaz via X

Daniel Nolavita, a leader and authority of the Kogui People in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, was kidnapped with his wife on September 3, 2024 from their home in Cherua, Ciénega, department of Magdalena. Nolavita was a renowned defender of the rights of his People and had recently participated in a demonstration in Magdalena.

Daniel’s wife was released, but on October 7, the community found his body, confirming the fatal outcome of a case that demonstrates the vulnerability of social leaders in Colombia and the urgent need to secure their protection and justice. Before this attack, the Kogui community and many social organizations demanded justice and protection for social leaders, who live in fear of violence.

The area where the kidnapping happened is marked by the presence of armed groups like the Self-Defense Conquerors of Sierra Nevada and the Gulf Clan. Although both of these organizations denied responsibility in this case, the criminals that seek territorial control in this region have threatened and displaced other Peoples that live in the area, including the Arhuaco, Wiwa, and Kankuama.
Didier Yesid Vélez Ogari: Didier Yesid Vélez Ogari (Chamí), 21, was murdered on October 16, 2024. He was an Indigenous Guard and defender of human rights in his town hall, La Esperanza, located in the municipality of Alcalá, Valle del Cauca. Since 2017, this community has suffered forced disappearances and constant threats by illegal armed actors. Organizations such as the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia and other Indigenous groups have reported constant harassment and demanded the authorities implement urgent measures to protect Indigenous leaders and communities defending their rights and territories.
Darwin Falla Teteyé: Photo: Agencia de Periodismo Investigativo

Darwin Falla Teteyé was murdered on November 3, 2024, in the Indigenous community of Los Estrechos, located in the municipality of Solano, Caquetá. According to reports, there were no prior threats. However, the local community suggests that the armed dissenting parties operating in this area might be responsible for the murder. These groups have imposed restrictions on the local communities, causing tension and vulnerability. Days after Darwin’s murder, it was revealed that the presumed perpetrators of the crime were FARC dissidents led by Iván Mordisco.

Darwin was a renowned educator in the community of Uitoto who dedicated his life to working with children and his community, promoting the protection of the environment and the preservation of ancestral knowledge. He worked at the Education Center Fortunato Really in the Puerto Sábalo Los Monos Reserve, specifically with the Murui Muina People in Los Estrechos, Solano, Caquetá.

Darwin’s murder has caused a deep dismay in the region and among educational and social organizations. The Colombian National Federation of Education Workers and other organizations have made an urgent call to national and international institutions to guarantee the protection of ethno-educators in the department of Caquetá, who face constant risk due to the presence of armed groups in Indigenous territories.
José Emanuel Oca Cuspian: Photo: ACIN

José Emanuel was murdered on the morning of Tuesday, November 5, 2024, while riding his motorcycle. He was a leader of the Nasa People and an educational facilitator in the Lomitas area of the San Andrés de Pisimbalá Reserve, where he worked in the defense of Nasa culture and the protection of their ancestral territory. He was also part of the Indigenous Guard.

José Emanuel’s murder is an example of the violence against Indigenous defenders who fight for the defense of their lands and cultures. The Council Association, Genaro Sánchez, described the impact that these murders have within their communities: “The blood and deaths that leave us with a heartache are not only deaths, they are dreams that were shut down and lives that had many benefits to reap but were silenced.”
Lorenzo Pascal Guanga: Photo: Indepaz

Lorenzo Pascal Guanga (Awá) was an alternate governor of the Anza Mapi community of the Awá Reserve, El Gran Sábalo. He disappeared on November 24, 2024 in the area of Las Palmas on his way to another Reserve. His body was found on the banks of the Nulpe River days later with signs of torture.

The violence prevailing in the Indigenous territories in Colombia causes an atmosphere of fear that drives many from their homes. The lack of response from the government to the serious crimes and disappearances happening in these territories have given armed groups, who use these territories as corridors to transport illegal products, the freedom to commit violent acts.

The situation for the Awá People is so serious that the Constitutional Court now considers it a culture at risk of extinction.
Alexander Pilcue Tenorio: Photo: Indepaz via Instagram

Alexander Pilcué Tenorio (Nasa) was an Indigenous Guard and a teacher. He was killed on his way home from work in the rural area of Santander de Quilichao on December 18, 2024, presumably the victim of a robbery. Due to his role in the community and as defender of his territory and educator, the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca does not rule out other other motives.

Alexander's death leaves his family and community in profound grief. He was a protection guard for Rosalba Velasco, the Mayora of the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca, so it is presumed that his murder is related to his work defending their Indigenous territory.

ACIN expressed: “We lost a guard, a community member, a son, a friend, and a facilitator of this organization. We embrace the Pilcué Tenorio family and reject this and all violent acts that, once again, leave our community in mourning.”

Ecuador

Alberto Quiñónez and Didson de la Cruz Quiñónez: Alberto Quinónez and his 12-year-old nephew, Didson de la Cruz Quiñónez, were leaders of the Chachi People. They were murdered on February 20, 2024 in an attack perpetrated by armed groups. These events are increasingly common in the province of Esmeraldas, a region that has been historically affected by illegal mining operations that have issued threats to Indigenous communities that live in the area.

Alberto and Didson belonged to the Tseipi community and were representatives of the Chachi Center Federation of Ecuador. Their territories are affected by plantations of African palm, illegal logging, and illegal gold mining.

This tragic incident reiterates the constant risks that Indigenous leaders face in their fight to defend their rights and territories.

Mexico

There are 68 Indigenous Peoples in Mexico, who give life to an enriching linguistic diversity and to an ancestral and cultural knowledge that are the backbone of the Mexican people. In spite of having signed ILO Convention 169 in 1990 and acknowledging itself as a pluricultural nation in 1992 after modifying the article 2 of its Constitution, these efforts have not been sufficient to eliminate inequality and guarantee respect to the diverse Indigenous Peoples and cultures in Mexico.

Indigenous Peoples in Mexico must contend with economic and development models that undermine their ways of life and culture, altering biodiversity and directly affecting their territories. Many leaders that fight to protect their lands and cultures have raised their voices to prevent or stop the extraction of natural resources that affect their communities and livelihoods. These actions have resulted in violence, murders, disappearances, harassment, and criminalization of environmental defenders.

The most recent report from Global Witness indicates that over 70% of defenders murdered in 2023 in Mexico were Indigenous, with a total of 18 murders of land and environmental defenders recorded. It is evident that defending the land has become a cause that puts those who raise their voices in danger, when all they want is to live in respect and harmony with Mother Earth.

Palemón Vásquez Cajero: Photo: Desinformémonos

On the night of March 18, 2024, Palemón Vásquez (Mixteco), 60, was murdered in a motorcycle drive-by shooting in the community of Santa Elena Comaltepec, municipality of Jamiltepec, Oaxaca. He was on his way home when the incident occurred.

Palemón Vásquez was a teacher and Indigenous education activist who worked to defend the rights of his People and all Indigenous Peoples. As Secretary of the ejido (communal land), he defended the land by protesting different megaprojects. His murder is evidence of the violence that is inflicted upon those who fight to protect their territories from development projects invading Indigenous lands to extract resources.
Rafael Bautista Cruz and Eutimio Medina Herrera: Between August 13-19, 2024 the Nahua community of El Coire, Michoacán suffered several armed attacks by criminal groups. Seven people were disappeared, dozens were tortured, multiple women were raped, and Rafael Bautista Cruz and Eutimio Medina Herrera were murdered. An estimated 250 people were displaced after these violent events.

The people that disappeared were brothers Miguel, Antonio, and Filiberto Orcino Oliveros; Teodulo Alvarez Rentera; brothers Rodrigo and Rene Mares Doroteo; and Israel Angel Martínez. Many of them were minors.

The Nahua communities of this area have been demanding protection from the attacks perpetrated by criminal groups related to the Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel, which have displaced hundreds of people across several communities. However, the authorities have not taken any concrete action. It has been reported that criminal groups have infiltrated the self-governed Indigenous community of El Coire, causing divisions and committing additional murders.
Marcelo Pérez: Photo: Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de las Casas

Marcelo Pérez (Tzotzil), a priest for over two decades, was murdered on Sunday, October 20, 2024 near his parish in the Cuxtitali, Chiapas. After celebrating his first mass of the day, he was ambushed and shot by two hitmen.

Marcelo was a devoted defender of the rights of Indigenous Peoples who stood out for his commitment to reporting injustices and directly confronting political groups and mafias that exercised power in this region.

Marcelo had previously received many death threats, and in 2016 the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights requested the Mexican government grant him precautionary measures for protection. Once again, the State’s failure to act resulted in his death.
Adriana and Virginia Ortiz García: Photo: IM Defensoras

Adriana and Virginia Ortiz García were Indigenous defenders of the Triqui People and part of the Movement of Triqui Unification and Struggle. The sisters were murdered on November 6, 2024 by two hitmen in a drive-by motorcycle shooting in Oaxaca on their way home. Oaxaca is one of the states with the most frequent attacks against women defenders of life, culture, and land.

Adriana and Virginia were outstanding leaders in defending human rights. They reported crimes and demanded protection as part of their work as legal advisors, and they played an important role in the search for their cousins, Virginia and Daniela, who disappeared in the Mixtec region on July 5, 2007. Their deaths are an immense loss that led the Movement of Triqui Unification and Struggle to immediately demand justice and condemn the act and the perpetrators.

The Inter-American Court on Human Rights also released a statement highlighting the importance of considering the sociocultural factors that can guarantee the right to justice.
Rigoberto Martínez Sandoval: Rigoberto Martínez Sandoval (Triqui) was shot and killed on November 11, 2024. He was an outstanding teacher who worked with children in different schools and was always generating opportunities to bring hope to the Triqui families and communities. He often used sports as a means of achieving peace in response to the violence that Triqui children face.

Rigoberto was also part of the Movement of Triqui Unification and Struggle, an Indigenous organization founded 34 years ago to defend the territory and its natural resources and to report acts of violence and repression, which the Triqui people have suffered for decades. Three Indigenous individuals were murdered in less than two weeks, which marks the reality for Triqui leaders.

Peru

Victorio Dariquebe Gerawairey: Photo: Mongabay

Victorio Dariquebe Gerawairey, a leader of the Harakmbut People, was murdered on April 19, 2024, in the region of Madre de Dios, an area that has been historically impacted by illegal mining.

Victorio was a park ranger in the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, a protected natural area in the Peruvian Amazon. He was followed by some men in an attack where his son, Edson Dariquebe, was also injured but able to escape. His family believes that illegal miners were responsible for this attack.

Victorio was a speaker of his People’s native language, which is an endangered language, making his death a cultural loss for the Harakmbut People. One of his nephews remembered him this way: “My uncle was an incorruptible man. He did not let himself be intimidated by illegal parties; that is why he was threatened. He cared about his work and his community.”
Mariano Isacama Feliciano: Photo: Fenacoka via Mongabay (Mariano Isacama on the left)

Mariano Isacama Feliciano, a leader from the Kakataibo People, disappeared the night of June 21, 2024 near his community of Puerto Azul in the city of Aguaytía, and was never heard from again. He had previously reported receiving death threats.

Mariano’s disappearance was reported on suspicion that other parties were involved, since he had actively worked to try to eliminate drug trafficking in the communal territory. His body was found with signs of torture on July 14, 2024 near the Amazon region of Ucayali.

The organizations that Mariano belonged to and that knew about his work as a defender expressed that he “is an example of the sacrifice and commitment that are necessary to protect our planet.”
Gerardo Keimari Enrique: Photo: Mongabay

Gerardo Keimari, a leader from the Matsigenka People, was found dead on October 7, 2024 in the River Madre de Dios. He was killed near the Indigenous Shipetiari community in the middle of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, where Mariano Isacama Feliciano disappeared and was found dead only a few months earlier. Gerardo had actively participated in the process of territorial expansion, for which he had received death threats.

Gerardo was a member of the Ministry of Justice and Human Right’s program for the protection of defenders—protections that were not enough to prevent his murder.

Through a statement, Amarakaeri, the Executor of the Administrative Contract, reported the constant violent acts the community suffers and the actions that they are taking to demand justice and peace.