This united front builds on a track record of resistance: in more than 25 years, no new oil well has been drilled in Ecuador’s southeastern Amazon.
Peru
New Report Released: In the Shadows of the State
Illicit Economies and Armed Control in the Triple Border Region of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
"Peace and security in the Amazon are impossible without Indigenous peoples at the heart of the solution."
In the Shadows of the State
Illicit Economies and Armed Control in the Triple Border Region of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
This report calls for a regional strategy centered on environmental protection, state-building, and community governance.
Peru and Ecuador’s Crude Gamble Faces Indigenous Wall of Resistance
Indigenous nations reject Boluarte’s announcement on binational oil pipeline between Petroperú and Petroecuador
“Without our consent, this project has no legitimacy. Investors must be warned: any deal built on rights violations is built on quicksand.”
The Achuar Reject Petroperú’s Oil Expansion – Yet Again
Amid mounting debt and political pressure, Petroperú scrambles to revive Block 64, but Indigenous nations expose sham consultations and defend their territories from fossil fuel expansion
“These informal meetings and all publicity surrounding them have no validity as a mechanism for Indigenous peoples' participation. The truth cannot be hidden."
Amazon Watch is building on more than 28 years of radical and effective solidarity with Indigenous peoples across the Amazon Basin.
Indigenous Wampis Are Ambushed in Peru After Government Backs Out of Anti-mining Joint Patrol
Associated Press | Indigenous leaders say the incident highlights the growing risks faced by land defenders and the government’s failure to uphold its promises.
Wampís Territorial Guards Attacked While Defending Their Lands
Peruvian government fails to deliver on anti-mining commitments
"The Wampis have to confront illegal gold miners alone, despite the Peruvian government's supposed offensive against organized crime promoting gold exploitation."
2024-2025 Annual Report
In a world increasingly in denial about the consequences of climate change and fossil fuel extraction, Amazon Watch is doubling down on our grassroots partnerships.
Amazon Crime Crisis: U.N. Backs Indigenous Demands
U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: governments and UNODC must include Indigenous Peoples in anti-crime and environmental policies
Amazonian Indigenous leaders delivered a clear and urgent message: organized crime and illegal economies are devastating the Amazon and threatening the survival of Indigenous Peoples.
Amazon in Peril: New Report Exposes Drug Trade Threat to 270+ Indigenous Communities
"We, the Indigenous defenders, face threats from drug traffickers when we speak out. We are calling for real change in how this crisis is addressed. Our territories and self-protection systems need global government support."
Drug Trafficking in Indigenous Territories of the Peruvian Amazon
Routes, Impacts, and Failed Policies
In Peru, drug trafficking is one of the main threats to the Amazon and Indigenous peoples. This report presents concrete proposals to reposition Indigenous peoples not only as victims, but as political actors who can help shape solutions.
The Amazon vs. Big Oil: Why Petroperú’s Latest Defeat Matters Globally
This Indigenous-led victory to keep 55 million barrels of crude in the ground in Peru's Amazon is a blueprint for resisting oil expansion worldwide
"Petroperú’s decision to cancel the tender for Block 64 is a great relief. However, we remain vigilant, knowing that it will likely continue seeking investors to exploit this block."
Amazonian Communities in Peru Rejoice as Plan for Oil Drilling on Ancestral Land Stalls
Peru’s state-run oil company failed to attract any bids to develop an oil field that overlaps ancestral territories of several Indigenous groups
Associated Press | “Local communities and their allies will remain alert to this zombie project which has been killed multiple times but always attempts to return from the dead.”
Petroperú’s Oil Gamble Fails: Block 64 Auction Flops Amid Indigenous Opposition
"For many years, we have stood alert and resisted every attempt by the Peruvian government and Petroperú to encroach on our territory."
Indigenous Peoples Denounce Criminal Expansion in the Amazon at the U.N.
“The Permanent Forum must formally recognize that organized crime and illegal economies such as drug trafficking and illegal mining are an existential threat to our peoples."
Indigenous Leader Shot While Hunting as Violence Escalates in Shipibo Territory
The Shipibo community of Flor de Ucayali continues to face death threats and land invasions from drug traffickers
This attack is yet another example of the growing violence against Indigenous communities as criminal economies expand across the Amazon.
Investor Nuns and Baptists Condemn Big Banks For Violating Indigenous Peoples' Rights
"Pope Francis called us to stand in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples impacted by destructive and extraction industries on their lands. We are grateful to Olivia Bisa from the Chapra Nation for presenting our proposal today at the AGM."
2023-2024 Amazon Defenders Fund Report
Stories of Solidarity
The Amazon Defenders Fund (ADF) is an activist-led solidarity fund built upon Amazon Watch’s multi-decade track record as a trusted partner to Indigenous nations and local organizations.
Raúl Grijalva: Rest in Power
We at Amazon Watch express our heartfelt condolences to Rep. Grijalva’s family, community, and constituents. He wasn’t just a passive ally of Amazonian peoples but a proactive champion – dedicating time and resources to listen to grassroots leaders and using his influence to stand in solidarity at crucial moments.
Guardians of the Amazon: Inga Women Lead the Fight for Their Land
Inga women are at the forefront of resistance, confronting extractive industries to protect their cultural heritage.
Religious Investors Win SEC Fight Over Indigenous Rights Resolution at Banks
“We, the Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon, have lived through ecological devastation, witnessed decades of pollution, and faced repeated threats to our self-determination due to spills caused by oil companies like Petroperú and their financiers, such as Citi."
Olivia Bisa Tirko’s Fight for Land and Culture
By highlighting the importance of women’s leadership and the passing of ancestral knowledge to future generations, Olivia is ensuring the survival of her people and the protection of the Amazon.
Stand with Defenders: Vote Today for Indigenous Rights and Thriving Rainforests
Amazon Watch is one of CREDO Mobile’s March grantees, which means that voters like you can help direct funds to sustain Indigenous-led solutions for the Amazon
The Amazon is at a tipping point, but our collective victories show us a powerful pathway forward.
Foreign Investors in Peru’s State Oil Company Risk Nation’s Turbulent Politics
In a region notorious for political instability, the South American country presents an extreme case
Financial Times | “This debt crisis drives Petroperú’s renewed plans to expedite new domestic oil production in highly contested reserves.”
Illegal Mining in the Amazon: “Criminal Governance Is Expanding and Becoming Increasingly Violent”
Mongabay | Raphael Hoetmer, director of Amazon Watch's Western Amazon Program, spoke with Mongabay Latam about the advance of mining in the Amazonian territory of Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela.
Amazon Watch Condemns Trump Administration’s Reckless Attack on USAID
The freeze on U.S. foreign assistance, implemented by the Trump administration, is already causing severe harm to vulnerable communities in the Amazon.
Bracing Ourselves for the Fight Ahead: Trump’s Potential Impact on the Amazon
The road ahead will be extremely difficult on multiple fronts, yet Amazonian Indigenous peoples will be undeterred in their indefatigable effort to protect their ancestral territories and livelihoods.
The Climate Crises in Los Angeles and the Amazon Rainforest Are Inextricably Linked
The Sacramento Bee | To address the root cause of these interconnected crises, we must unite our calls to keep oil in the ground, from California to the Amazon.
Amazon’s Advocates Fear Trump’s Return Means Little U.S. Help to Protect Rainforest
Associated Press | “Trump 2.0 will offer Amazonian governments a permission structure to ignore or walk back climate commitments, precisely at the moment when protection of the rainforest demands greater ambition and regional coordination.”
