💨 Abstract

In the Peruvian Amazon, Indigenous leader Miguel Guimaraes Vasquez confronted drug-related deforestation, aided by U.S. funding promoting legal crop cultivation. Recent cuts by the Trump administration, directed by Elon Musk’s DOGE, jeopardize Indigenous communities, potentially increasing cocaine market resurgence and land threats. Without U.S. support, defenders fear violence and loss of land rights. The cuts have sparked human rights concerns and weakened international efforts to mitigate climate change and protect Indigenous communities worldwide.

Courtesy: WTOP Staff