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Juan Zapata, the
Minister of the Interior, alleged that Mendúa's killers were from within the Cofán community, and that his murder stemmed from an internal dispute over support for oil drilling in Cofán lands among some members of the Dureno Cofán community. It has been alleged that Silverio Criollo, current president of the Dureno Cofán community, ordered the killing. On 28 February 2023, CONAIE called for Criollo to be dismissed, and for his agreement with Petroecuador to be revoked. As of 27 March 2023, Mendúa's murder remains unsolved.
140:, released a statement in which he promised Mendúa's murder would not go unpunished. CONAIE's president, Leonidas Iza Salazar, condemned Mendúa's death, and said that both Lasso and Petroeducador were responsible, citing ongoing conflict in the area over oil drilling between the government and indigenous communities.
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conducted raids that resulted in the seizing of firearms and the arrest of a suspect alleged to have driven the speedboat Mendúa's killers fled on. The suspect, named only as David Q., was remanded in police custody. A judge granted Mendúa's wife and children a protection order following his murder.
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which overlapped Cofán land. In 2016 Silverio
Criollo, Mendúa's successor as president of the Dureno Cofán community, began negotiating with Petroecuador to build oil wells on Cofán land, and was alleged to have sanctioned community members who opposed this, including Mendúa. Mendúa, alongside 130
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On 26 February 2023, Mendúa was shot dead in the garden of his home in Dureno by two people dressed in hoods, who subsequently escaped via speedboat; Mendúa's wife, who was with him at the time, was not harmed. An autopsy of Mendúa found he had been shot twelve times, and identified his cause of
100:
community in El Edén, protesting
Petroecuador's failure to comply with commitments it had previously made in relation to existing oil wells on indigenous lands. Two days before his death, CONAIE called for a national strike against the Ecuadorian government for breaking its promise not to expand
160:, expressed sadness at Mendúa's killing, and called on the Ecuadorian government to commit to a swift investigation to bring the murderers to justice. Speaking at a conference of Catholic bishops in Quito, Rafael Cob, president of the
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other local campaigners, created road blocks preventing
Petroecuador personnel from entering Dureno and other nearby Cofán villages. Through his work with CONAIE, Mendúa criticised the
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death as being haemorrhaging and cerebral lacerations caused by being shot with a firearm. Mendúa's funeral was held on 28 February 2023, and was streamed live online by CONAIE.
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Mendúa's death occurred almost two years after the killing of his brother Lino; as of 27 February 2023, Lino's death also remains unsolved.
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93:. He later warned that the expansion of oil drilling in Sucumbíos Province would lead to the "extermination" of the Cofán people.
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41:(c. 1983 – 26 February 2023) was an Ecuadorian indigenous leader, environmentalist, and land rights activist from the indigenous
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Between 2010 and 2016, Mendúa served two terms as president of the Dureno Cofán community. He later became a member of the
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for failing to consult with local communities about planned oil extraction on indigenous lands, in accordance with the
210:"Ecuador: el asesinato del líder indígena Eduardo Mendúa en medio de conflicto petrolero en la comunidad Cofán Dureno"
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497:"Fiscalía formula cargos contra presunto coautor del asesinato del dirigente indígena Eduardo Mendúa"
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76:, the administrative capital of Sucumbíos Province and a major centre of oil operations in Ecuador.
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69:, or CONAIE), and served as its director of international relationships from 2021 until his death.
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321:"Eduardo Mendúa, Ecuadorian Who Fought Oil Extraction on Indigenous Land, Is Shot to Death"
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392:"Lasso government responsible for the murder of Indigenous activist, alleges CONAIE"
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In the days before his murder, Mendúa took part in a strike led by members of the
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152:, expressed his solidarity with Mendúa's family, as well as with CONAIE. The
555:"Ecuador: CONAIE responsabiliza al Gobierno por asesinato de Eduardo Mendúa"
168:, said "we raise our voices denouncing this murder and asking for justice".
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The ancestral lands of the Cofán people are located in close proximity to
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463:"Killing of Indigenous Leader in Ecuador Demands Thorough Investigation"
250:"¿Quién era Eduardo Mendúa, el dirigente de la CONAIE asesinado ?"
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351:"Ecuadorian Indigenous Leader Eduardo Mendúa Assassinated at His Home"
284:"Ecuadorian Indigenous leader Eduardo Mendúa assassinated in his home"
584:"Church in Amazonia decries murder of indigenous activist in Ecuador"
524:"Ecuador, Conaie chiede giustizia per l'assassinio di Eduardo Mendúa"
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United
Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
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Mendúa was married to
Fabiola Ortiz, with whom he had six children.
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who campaigned against oil drilling in Dureno, a Cofán village in
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drilling operations on indigenous lands at a council meeting in
53:. On 26 February 2023, Mendúa was shot dead outside his home.
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Confederation of
Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador
423:"¿Quién era Eduardo Mendúa? Investigan asesinato"
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31: and the second or maternal family name is
117:Hours after Mendúa's death, officers from the
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144:, a former presidential candidate for the
16:Ecuadorian indigenous leader (died 2023)
563:(in European Spanish). 27 February 2023
461:Téllez Chávez, Luciana (3 March 2023).
208:Alvarado, Ana Cristina (3 March 2023).
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248:Mantuano, Mishell (27 February 2023).
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162:Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network
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109:Assassination and aftermath
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682:2023 murders in Ecuador
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528:Pressenza
595:12 March
215:Mongabay
129:Response
57:Activism
19:In this
567:4 March
534:5 April
507:4 March
474:4 March
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402:4 March
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332:4 March
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260:4 March
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