Poder colectivo: La lucha por la protección de las personas defensoras del territorio y el ambiente

The report documents the killing of 124 land and environmental defenders in 2025, with Latin America remaining the most dangerous region. It highlights the role of organized crime, extractive industries, and state repression in these attacks, while advocating for 'collective protection' and the legal recognition of indigenous guards.

• In 2025, Global Witness verified the murders of at least 124 land and environmental defenders, contributing to a cumulative total of 2,375 deaths and disappearances documented since 2012.
• Latin America continues to be the most lethal region for defenders, accounting for 85% of the global total of documented cases in 2025.
• Colombia remains one of the most dangerous countries, with 39 confirmed murders in 2025, predominantly linked to land conflicts and organized crime, particularly in the Cauca department.
• Land disputes were the primary driver of violence in 2025, causing more than half of the documented murders.
• Extractive industries continue to drive violence, with mining identified as the most dangerous sector, linked to 11 murders in 2025 across the Philippines, Peru, India, and the DRC.
• Organized crime and hired assassins are implicated in over one-third of the murders in 2025, often corrupting state institutions and creating climates of impunity.
• Indigenous and peasant populations are disproportionately targeted, comprising 75% of the murders and disappearances documented in 2025.
• In Indonesia, the Dayak people face 'green colonialism' and criminalization, exemplified by the case of Tarsisius Fendy Sesupi, who was accused of extortion for applying traditional customary sanctions against the company PT Mayawana Persada.
• The report advocates for 'collective protection,' which moves away from individual security measures toward strengthening community governance, territorial surveillance (such as indigenous guards), and the recognition of collective land tenure.
• Global funding for human rights and environmental organizations decreased significantly in 2025 due to budget cuts from the US administration under Donald Trump, including a 23% drop in global development aid according to the OECD.
• In the Philippines, state agents are heavily implicated in violence, with five murders in 2025 suspected to involve the Philippine Army as part of counter-insurgency campaigns.

APA

Carling, J. (2022). Poder colectivo: La lucha por la protección de las personas defensoras del territorio y el ambiente. Global Witness. https://globalwitness.org/es/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/poder-colectivo/

Chicago

Carling, Joan. Poder colectivo: La lucha por la protección de las personas defensoras del territorio y el ambiente. Global Witness, 2022. https://globalwitness.org/es/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/poder-colectivo/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Carling |first1=Joan |title=Poder colectivo: La lucha por la protección de las personas defensoras del territorio y el ambiente |publisher=Global Witness |date=29 September 2022 |url=https://globalwitness.org/es/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/poder-colectivo/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{carling2022poder, author = {Carling, Joan}, title = {{Poder colectivo: La lucha por la protección de las personas defensoras del territorio y el ambiente}}, institution = {Global Witness}, year = {2022}, month = sep, url = {https://globalwitness.org/es/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/poder-colectivo/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }