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Last Sunday, February 26, there was another event of criminalization of forest and land defenders, this was the case of Eduardo Mendúa - indigenous leader of the Ai'Cofan nationality and director of International Relations of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) - who was murdered in the community of Dureno in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Mendúa was recognized for his struggle and defense of the Amazon in the face of threats of environmental destruction of his territory and had participated in resistance actions against the deepening of oil activity in the area (part of the only remaining intact rainforest in the region). The leader was a member of a group that sought to prevent the state oil company from expanding its operations due to the contamination generated by this extractive activity in the territories. 

The Amazonian leader stood out as a defender of indigenous human rights, one of his main demands being respect for the self-determination of the peoples and the realization of prior, free and informed consultation.

Both CONAIE and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (CONFENAIE) have demanded that the Ecuadorian government carry out the appropriate investigations so that the murder does not go unpunished.

Desde la Alianza Mesoamericana de Pueblos y Bosques (AMPB) condenamos este cobarde asesinato, expresamos nuestra solidaridad y condolencias a la familia y comunidad de Eduardo Mendúa. Nos unimos a la demanda de la Conaie y Confenaie de que se investiguen a profundidad los hechos.

We highlight the commitment of the historical defenders of the land and demand that justice finally becomes a reality and that governments and international justice mechanisms take concrete and substantial action to halt the extractivist processes that threaten the biological and cultural diversity of the planet.

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