# Colombia and Brazil Deadliest Nations for Environmental Activists as Latin America Tops Global Report

> A new report reveals that Latin America accounted for 85% of documented killings of environmental activists globally in 2025, with Colombia and Brazil recording the highest death tolls.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Latin America · **Published:** 2026-09-17 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/latin-america/colombia-and-brazil-deadliest-nations-for-environmental-activists-as-latin-america-tops-global-report-33068 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** environmental activists, Latin America, Colombia, Brazil, Global Witness, human rights, land disputes

Latin America remains the most perilous region in the world for individuals defending the environment and natural resources. In recent years, numerous advocates have lost their lives, including anti-mining activist Juan López, who was shot and killed in Honduras in 2024. A comprehensive new report released by Global Witness underscores the ongoing crisis and extreme dangers faced by grassroots defenders across the globe.

## Global Toll and Regional Concentration
According to the findings, out of at least 124 environmental activists killed globally in 2025, an overwhelming 85 percent of the documented murders took place in Latin America. This makes the region the deadliest place for defenders every single year since the organization began publishing its reports in 2012. The report states that the majority of these killings were tied directly to land disputes and were frequently executed by hired assassins or members of organized crime syndicates.

## The Situation in Colombia and Brazil
Colombia has recorded the highest number of murdered environmental activists for four consecutive years. In 2025 alone, 39 activists were murdered in the country. Nearly half of those killed in Colombia belonged to indigenous groups, while many of the remaining victims were small-scale farmers. To protect their ancestral lands, many indigenous communities in Colombia have formed self-protection networks known as indigenous guards. These guards patrol their territories on foot but remain entirely unarmed. Members of these guards are frequently targeted by illegal armed groups seeking to expand territorial control for planting coca, the raw material used to produce cocaine, or to facilitate illegal mining operations.

Just last week, Jacob Guachetá Zambrano, a member of the indigenous guard in Colombia's Cauca region, was found tortured and killed. While authorities are still investigating the possible motives and searching for those responsible, indigenous leaders reported that murders, threats, and forced disappearances are alarmingly common in the area as rival armed factions battle for dominance. Meanwhile, Brazil ranked second globally, recording 26 murders. Global Witness warned that Brazil witnessed a staggering doubling of environmental defender killings in 2025 compared to 2024. Researchers found that, much like in Colombia, the vast majority of documented cases in Brazil were driven primarily by intense conflicts over land ownership and usage.

Outside of Latin America, 12 percent of total murders occurred in Asia, with the Philippines topping the Asian list with 12 documented killings. Global Witness cautioned that although the number of globally documented killings decreased from 146 in 2024 to 128 in 2025, the actual figures are likely a significant underestimate because many cases go entirely unreported.

## What this means for you
The rising wave of violence and killings targeting environmental defenders highlights deep-seated security and human rights crises that ripple across global conservation efforts.

- **Across India:** Environmental activists and grassroots communities fighting to protect local forests, rivers, and land can draw solidarity from these global findings while advocating for stronger domestic legal protections and safer operational environments.
- **In Latin America:** Local populations, indigenous groups, and small farmers in nations like Colombia and Brazil face severe, everyday threats to their lives as criminal organizations and armed syndicates violently contest territorial control.
- **Security and Enforcement:** Governments and regional authorities face heightened pressure to crack down on illegal mining, narcotics cultivation, and organized crime networks that drive these lethal land conflicts.
- **Human Rights:** The publication of these findings increases international scrutiny on state accountability, compelling global bodies to push for stronger legal frameworks and better protection mechanisms for frontline defenders.

## Why this happened
The persistent violence against environmental defenders and the dominance of Latin America as the most dangerous region are driven by deeply entrenched criminal, economic, and territorial factors.

- **Land Disputes and Territorial Control:** The overwhelming majority of killings are fueled by fierce conflicts over land ownership, as criminal factions and armed groups seek to dominate resource-rich and strategic regions.
- **Illegal Economies and Narcotics:** In areas like Colombia, armed syndicates aggressively target community defenders to clear land for coca cultivation, which feeds the illegal cocaine trade, as well as for unauthorized mining operations.
- **Organized Crime and Weak Governance:** The involvement of professional hitmen and powerful criminal networks often overwhelms local law enforcement agencies, creating an environment of impunity in remote or contested areas.
- **Impediments to Justice:** Delays in investigations, underreported incidents, and a lack of swift legal accountability allow threats, forced disappearances, and targeted murders to persist unchecked.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. How many environmental activists were killed globally in 2025?
At least 124 environmental activists were documented killed globally in 2025.

### 2. Which region is considered the deadliest for environmental defenders?
Latin America is the deadliest region, accounting for 85% of all documented killings globally.

### 3. Which country recorded the highest number of activist murders in 2025?
Colombia recorded the highest number with 39 murders, followed closely by Brazil with 26.

### 4. Who were the primary victims among those killed in Colombia?
Nearly half of those killed in Colombia were members of indigenous groups, while many others were small-scale farmers.

### 5. What did Global Witness warn regarding Brazil's statistics?
Global Witness warned that Brazil experienced a doubling of killings of environmental defenders in 2025 compared to 2024.

### 6. Which country outside Latin America recorded the most murders?
Outside Latin America, the Philippines topped the list with 12 documented murders, contributing to Asia's 12% share of the global total.

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