Indigenous leader Julio Rodríguez found dead in Venezuela

The death of Julio Rodríguez, a captain of the Jivi Ekunay indigenous people, has been confirmed in Bolívar state, Venezuela. Rodríguez had been missing for eight days following his alleged kidnapping by members of FARC dissidents.

The human rights organization PROVEA reported that a search commission composed of indigenous leaders and youth was ambushed in the Vincler sector, where drones were reportedly used to launch explosives. During this attack, an elderly man named Alirio Rodríguez was seriously injured and required emergency hospitalization.

PROVEA is calling for an immediate investigation and the punishment of those responsible, while urging the adoption of emergency measures to protect indigenous lives and territories. The organization noted that these killings occur within a broader context of violence in mining-rich areas, where armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN compete for territorial control. Since 2010, more than 48 indigenous people from various tribes have been killed by state forces or non-state actors in these regions.