The investigation into the double murder of expert Bruno Pereira and journalist Dom Phillips in the Amazon reveals a shocking motive. Discover how the fight against crime cost the lives of these two men committed to protecting the forest and indigenous peoples…
The Amazon, the largest tropical forest in the world, is the scene of a tragedy which shook Brazil in 2022: the double assassination of the Brazilian expert on indigenous issues Bruno Pereira and the British journalist Dom Phillips. After two years of careful investigation, the federal police have just released their conclusions: Bruno Pereira was targeted for his fierce fight against the crime which plagues this remote region.
A Fatal Expedition to the Javari Valley
On June 5, 2022, Bruno Pereira, 41, former employee of the government indigenous affairs agency Funai, and Dom Phillips, 57, independent journalist working notably with The Guardian, set off on an expedition to the Javari valley. This isolated indigenous reserve, on the border between Brazil, Colombia and Peru, is known for being home to illegal activities such as drug trafficking, illegal fishing and logging.
The goal of their journey: to document an innovative project helping indigenous people to report intrusions on their land by criminals. But the two men will never return. After several days of anguish and searching, their bodies were found thanks to the confession of a suspect. The autopsy reveals that they were killed by hunting ammunition, Dom Phillips in the chest and Bruno Pereira three bullets, including one in the head.
Investigation points to organized crime
Throughout the investigation, nine suspects were identified by the federal police, including the alleged sponsor Ruben da Silva Villar, alias “Colombia”, arrested at the end of 2022. This man is suspected of being a drug lord and illegal fishing in the region.
The investigation confirmed that the assassinations were carried out due to surveillance activities carried out by Bruno Pereira in the region. The victim worked for the preservation of the environment and the guarantee of indigenous rights.
Press release from the Brazilian Federal Police
According to investigators, it is the influence of organized crime in the Javari Valley that has “caused socio-environmental impacts and threatened officials responsible for protecting the environment and indigenous populations,” such as Bruno Pereira.
The heavy price of the defenders of the Amazon
This double murder is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by those who work to protect the Amazon and its inhabitants. In addition to rampant deforestation, encouraged by former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, crime represents a constant threat to activists, journalists and indigenous leaders.
- According to the NGO Global Witness, Brazil is the 4th deadliest country for environmental defenders
- Between 2012 and 2021, at least 342 activists were killed in the Brazilian Amazon
- Indigenous peoples, guardians of the forest, are particularly targeted by violence
Faced with this alarming situation, the Brazilian authorities must act firmly to dismantle the criminal networks that are eating away at the Amazon. The return to power of President Lula, who promised to make the protection of the forest a priority, raises hopes of a revival. But the road will be long to bring justice to victims like Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips, martyrs of this essential struggle for the survival of the largest tropical forest on the planet.
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