Américo Pascual, Peruvian Amazon leader, is alive after false reports of murder

Américo Pascual, an Asháninka indigenous leader in the Peruvian Amazon, is alive following erroneous reports of his murder. The Regional Organization of AIDESEPUcayali (ORAU) retracted its earlier announcement that Pascual had been shot during a security patrol in the Yurúa region of Ucayali.

Pascual confirmed his safety via a video broadcast on Peruvian public television, stating, “They say I am dead, but I am here, calm, at my home.” Following the video, ORAU confirmed he is with his family, and Peru’s Ministry of Culture deleted a social media post that had previously condemned his alleged death.

The incident underscores the ongoing security risks for environmental defenders in Peru. According to the NGO Global Witness, at least 62 environmental defenders have been killed in Peru between 2012 and 2024, with more than half belonging to indigenous communities.