Peruvian Environmental Activist Quinto Inuma Killed in Tragic Shooting Incident in the Amazon

An environmental activist from Peru has been shot and killed after receiving death threats due to his efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest, according to officials. Quinto Inuma, a leader of the Kichwa community, was targeted in a remote area of the San Martin region. The Peruvian government expressed deep sorrow over his death, denouncing the attack as cowardly. The region has seen frequent clashes between indigenous groups and illegal loggers. Inuma had previously received threats for his work against illegal deforestation in the Amazon. His son explained that he was ambushed while traveling by boat after attending a meeting of women environmental campaigners. The attackers, wearing hoods, blocked the river with a tree trunk before shooting at him multiple times. Peru's environment, interior, justice, and culture ministries issued a joint statement expressing their regret over Inuma's death and confirming that the national police are investigating the incident. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mission in Peru condemned the killing and urged authorities to promptly investigate the matter. Local environmental organizations argue that the government does not do enough to safeguard local communities. The national human rights center in Peru reports that at least 30 environmental activists and community leaders have been killed since 2020.