Chico Mendes

15 December 1944 – 22 December 1988

Chico Mendes was a Brazilian rubber tapper, trade unionist and environmental campaigner from the state of Acre. He organised rubber tappers against deforestation and proposed extractive reserves in which forest communities would hold collective use rights. He was shot dead at his home in Xapuri in December 1988.

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Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Chico Mendes.

Life events

Born in Xapuri, Acre
15 December 1944

Francisco Alves Mendes Filho was born on a rubber estate near Xapuri in the western Amazon.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Began work as a rubber tapper
c. 1953

He started tapping rubber alongside his father as a child, as was common on the estates of Acre.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Learned to read and write from Euclides Fernandes Távora
c. 1962

A former political activist living in the forest taught Mendes literacy and introduced him to labour organising.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Organised empates against forest clearance
c. 1976 – 1988

Rubber tappers and their families formed non-violent standoffs to block chainsaw crews from felling the forest.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Helped found the rural workers' union in Xapuri
1977

He became a leader of the Xapuri Rural Workers' Union and was elected a town councillor the same year.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Co-founded the National Council of Rubber Tappers
1985

At a meeting in Brasília the new council set out the proposal for extractive reserves.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Campaigned in Washington against development bank funding for Amazon roads
1987

He testified to United States officials and multilateral lenders about the effects of the BR-364 highway project.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Received the United Nations Global 500 Roll of Honour
1987

The award recognised his work defending the Amazon rainforest.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Shot dead at his home in Xapuri
22 December 1988

Mendes was killed by a rancher's son; Darly Alves da Silva and Darci Alves Pereira were later convicted of the murder.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓