Voces silenciadas: la violencia contra las personas defensoras de la tierra y el medioambiente

In 2023, Global Witness documented 196 murders of land and environmental defenders, contributing to a total of 2,106 since 2012. Latin America remains the most dangerous region, accounting for 85% of 2023 cases, with Colombia recording the highest number of killings (79). The report highlights a systemic pattern of violence including forced disappearances in Mexico and judicial harassment in Asia. Mining is identified as the primary industrial driver of these killings. The document argues that indigenous peoples, who protect 80% of the world's remaining biodiversity, are disproportionately targeted. It calls for the implementation of the Escazú Agreement and greater inclusion of indigenous knowledge in global climate negotiations.

• Global Witness documented 196 murders of land and environmental defenders in 2023, bringing the estimated total of such killings worldwide since 2012 to 2,106.
• Latin America is the most affected region, representing 85% of all documented murders in 2023, with over 70% of these concentrated in Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico.
• Colombia had the highest number of documented murders in 2023 with 79 cases, the highest annual total for any country since 2012, with 461 activists killed in total between 2012 and 2023.
• Indigenous peoples are disproportionately targeted; they represented 43% of those murdered in 2023 and 36% of all environmental defender murders between 2012 and 2023 (766 people).
• Mining was the leading industrial motive for the killing of defenders in 2023, resulting in 25 deaths, with 23 of those occurring in Latin America.
• Forced disappearances are a critical tool of repression, particularly in Mexico, where 93 land and environmental defenders disappeared between December 1, 2006, and August 1, 2023, with over 40% still missing.
• In Asia, judicial harassment and illegal detentions are used to silence activists; in the Philippines, the government has used accusations of being 'communist rebels' to justify kidnappings and torture.
• Developed nations, including the UK and US, are increasingly using 'anti-protest laws' and 'critical infrastructure' protections to criminalize peaceful climate activism.
• Indigenous peoples manage over one-third of protected lands and conserve nearly 80% of the world's remaining biodiversity, yet they are frequently excluded from climate decision-making.
• The report identifies a 'green fever' where the rush for minerals essential for the energy transition (such as nickel, tin, and bauxite) may increase pressure and violence against defenders in regions like Asia and Malaysia.

APA

Mbuthuma, N. (2024). Voces silenciadas: la violencia contra las personas defensoras de la tierra y el medioambiente. Global Witness. https://globalwitness.org/es/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/voces-silenciadas/

Chicago

Mbuthuma, Nonhle. Voces silenciadas: la violencia contra las personas defensoras de la tierra y el medioambiente. Global Witness, 2024. https://globalwitness.org/es/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/voces-silenciadas/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mbuthuma |first1=Nonhle |title=Voces silenciadas: la violencia contra las personas defensoras de la tierra y el medioambiente |publisher=Global Witness |date=10 September 2024 |url=https://globalwitness.org/es/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/voces-silenciadas/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mbuthuma2024voces, author = {Mbuthuma, Nonhle}, title = {{Voces silenciadas: la violencia contra las personas defensoras de la tierra y el medioambiente}}, institution = {Global Witness}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://globalwitness.org/es/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/voces-silenciadas/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }