Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Jonathan Watts

Masked men invading and taking Amazon communities ‘hostage’ in organised crime surge, say local leaders

Aerial view of the village of Apiwtxa, next to a winding stretch of river and surrounded by rainforest
Masked gunmen entered homes in the Brazilian village of Apiwtxa, within the Amazon Forest, earlier this month. Photograph: Jorge Sáenz/AP

Indigenous leaders on the Brazilian-Peruvian border have said their communities are being “taken hostage” by organised crime groups who are running rampant across the region, destroying rainforest, building roads and trafficking drugs.

Earlier this month, masked men armed with semi-automatic weapons entered homes in Apiwtxa, a village in the Kampa do Rio Amônia Indigenous territory, intimidating people and searching for targets.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.