Contrary to forecasts made in the 1990s, over 40 areas are guaranteeing the protection of the species without driving the pirarucu to extinction. In addition, sales of the fish provide income to fishermen, who now join a production chain that brings no harm to the Amazonian ecosystem.
Category: Brazil
Drug gangs threaten communities in Amazon ‘cocaine corridor’
Indigenous, African-descended and other traditional communities are caught in escalating violence from drug trafficking in Amazon “cocaine corridor.”
For young Venezuelan migrants in Brazil, drugs, gold and early death
Brazilian criminal groups prey on young Venezuelan migrants, especially unaccompanied minors, who cross border in search of jobs.
Brazilian drug gang takes root in Peruvian Amazon
The notorious Brazilian gang Comando Vermelho has seized control of the cocaine trade in Peru’s Ucayali region.
Colombian drug runners turn to shamans for protection
Before embarking on a perilous trek through the jungle, drug couriers in Colombia turn to shamans for protection.
The poorest narcos in the drug-trafficking chain
The poorest narcos in the trafficking chain risk even their own children to deliver drugs to criminal organizations.
Armed groups threaten Indigenous lands in southern Venezuela
In Venezuela’s southern Amazon region, Pemón Indigenous communities are caught between encroaching armed groups and illegal gold miners.
The Day of Fire, three years later: over half of the forest burned in the Amazon has become pasture
In addition to the area targeted for livestock, nearly 40% of the forest affected by the 2019 arson is still unused and was burned ‘for the sake of burning.’
Dredges: Gold mining spurs crime & corruption on Brazil-Colombia border
Miners dredging millions of dollars in gold from Brazil’s Puruê River devastate the environment and attract armed groups.
Welcome to the Amazon Underworld
The Amazon, the largest rainforest in the world, is also a source and transit point for illegally extracted jungle resources and narcotics. As criminal economies expand, violence and deforestation worsen