@ Chiapas paralelo
Latin America currently holds the highest number of murdered environmentalists in the world. According to the report by the Non-Governmental Organization Global Witness, Mexico ranked first in the list of countries with the most murdered environmental activists in 2021, with a total of 54 victims. It is followed by Colombia with 33, Brazil with 26 and the Philippines with 19. Nearly half of the activists killed were indigenous.
“In the last 10 years, the country has quickly become one of the most dangerous places for land and environmental defenders, with 154 cases documented during this period. The majority of the murders (131) occurred with intent between 2017 and 2021”, the report states.
Indigenous territories are highly vulnerable to the increase in the number of extractive projects promoted by national and international companies backed by the Mexican government. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has repeatedly expressed its concern about the lack of adequate consultation with the communities affected by this type of project. Global Witness highlights that “The commission has warned about criminalization and smear campaigns as harmful threats to land and environmental defenders in Mexico.”
For more information in Spanish:
México país con el mayor número de ambientalistas asesinados: Global Witness (Educa, 29 de septiembre de 2022)
Cifra histórica: México es el país con más ambientalistas asesinados, según la organización Global Witness (CNN, 29 de septiembre de 2022)
Crecen ataques contra defensores del territorio en México (30 de septiembre de 2022)
For more information from SIPAZ:
National: Mexico: 146 Journalists and Activists Murdered – Second Most Dangerous Country for Environmentalists (October 10, 2022)
Nacional: OSC lamentan la respuesta del gobierno mexicano ante el llamado del Parlamento Europeo a proteger defensores y periodistas (March 14, 2022)
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