The mountains, canyons and forests of Mexico’s Tarahumara Sierra are renowned for their breathtaking beauty.
They are also a place of extreme danger for Indigenous people trying to defend their ancestral territory and the environment on which their survival depends.
The shocking reality is that more than a dozen Rarámuri Indigenous leaders from the tiny community of Coloradas de la Virgen have been killed since 2015.
That terrible toll worsened on October 24 when the disfigured body of Julián Carrillo was found after shots were heard.
Like others before him, Julián had courageously spoken out to denounce illegal logging and mining concessions that threaten Rarámuri lands. He knew he was in danger and reported death threats on repeated occasions. Yet authorities failed to protect him, just as they failed to protect other Rarámuri leaders.
Julián’s voice has been silenced. Ours are urgently needed.
This is literally a matter of life and death. The people of Coloradas de la Virgen have good reason to fear more attacks. They are counting on our support. Please sign our action calling on Mexico to stop the killers and protect Indigenous environment defenders.
