XAPURI — 1988 · Murder
The Murder of Chico Mendes
Chico Mendes, leader of the Amazon rubber tappers' union and an international symbol of the fight to protect the rainforest, was shot dead at the back door of his home in Xapuri, Acre, on 22 December 1988. Mendes had organised peaceful actions against the clearing of forest for cattle ranches and campaigned for protected areas for rubber tappers. In December 1990 a rancher and his son were convicted of the murder and each sentenced to 19 years; both escaped from prison in 1993 and were later recaptured. The killing drew worldwide outrage and accelerated the creation of "extractive reserves" in Brazil, one of which bears his name.
- Date
- 1988
- Place
- Acre, Brazil, Xapuri, BR
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- -10.6500, -68.5000 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 22 December 1988Mendes shot at his home in Xapuri.
- 1990Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve created.
- 15 December 1990A rancher and his son convicted; 19 years each.
- 1993The two convicts escape from prison.
Sources
- UPI — Rancher, son found guilty in environmentalist murder upi.com ↗
- Sumaúma — The new old life of the man who confessed to killing Chico Mendes sumauma.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Chico Mendes en.wikipedia.org ↗
- UPI
- Sumaúma
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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Categories
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.