More than 600 Environmentalists Killed in Colombia Since Peace Agreement

In Bogota, the Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz) reported that 611 environmental leaders have been killed since the signing of the peace agreement, indicating that Colombia is the most dangerous country for environmental leaders.

According to Indepaz figures, 332 of the murders have been perpetrated against different Indigenous populations, 75 against Afro-descendant members of community councils, 102 against peasants, 25 against environmental activist leaders and 77 against members of Community Action Boards.

For its part, the NGO Global Witness, which keeps a world count of crimes against environmentalists, revealed that during 2020 there were 65 murders of environmental defenders.

Indepaz pointed out that in Colombia there are more than 152 environmental conflicts due to mining-energy, agro-industrial and infrastructure megaprojects that go against the interests of indigenous communities.

According to the Global Witness list, coming in behind Colombia is Mexico, with a total of 30 homicides, a number that does not even reach half of Colombia’s figures.