Mariano Isacama Feliciano, a 35-year-old Kakataibo leader who had been missing since June 21st, was found dead this Sunday near the Yurac River in the city of Aguaytía, Padre Abad district, Ucayali. His death was confirmed by Marcelo Odicio, president of the Native Federation of Kakataibo Communities (Fenacoka).
The indigenous organization reported Isacama’s disappearance on June 25th in a context of increasing pressure from groups involved in illegal logging and drug trafficking in Kakataibo territory. Through the intercultural news portal Servindi, Fenacoka expressed deep sorrow and reiterated the demand for greater security for indigenous leaders in the Amazon region.
«We demand justice for Mariano. He did not die naturally, we suspect he was murdered. This should not continue. It is not normal for our leaders to be killed, the state has to react and do its job,» declared Odicio. An exhaustive investigation was requested to clarify the circumstances of the leader’s death, who fought against the invasion of cocaine traffickers in Kakataibo territories.
Isacama also served as part of the technical team of Fenacoka and was a member of the board of directors of his native community Puerto Azul, located in the Ucayali district of Padre Abad. He had been receiving threats since last year via anonymous WhatsApp messages.
After more than 18 days without news of Isacama’s whereabouts, his relatives and Fenacoka expressed concern that despite providing evidence to the authorities confirming the threats, they had not received updates from the police on the investigations into his disappearance. On July 10th, around 40 members of the Kakataibo Indigenous Guard began searching for the leader, suspecting he may have been kidnapped and taken to the Huanuco district of Codo del Pozuzo, an area known for drug trafficking activities.
According to a recent investigation by Mongabay Latam, there were reports that Isacama may have been murdered, as another indigenous leader revealed that two individuals showed a video to a young woman in which Isacama was being tortured. As the search efforts continued, Fenacoka warned of invaders moving into indigenous territory, causing additional tension.
Various indigenous organizations jointly pointed to Washington Bolívar Díaz as a possible suspect who hindered the search for Isacama by denying his status as a human rights defender and leader. They urged authorities to investigate Bolívar Díaz and other actors linked to drug trafficking, illegal logging, and land trafficking in connection with this alleged crime, highlighting a pattern of disappearance and murder in the region.
The Legal Defense Institute (IDL) confirmed that the Second Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Human Rights and Interculturality in Pucallpa will handle the investigation into the alleged murder. The Observatory for Indigenous Human Rights Defenders, formed by Fenacoka, FECONAU, COSHIKOX, and coordinated by IDL, will monitor the progress on this tragic event.
According to official records from Aidesep, six Kakataibo defenders have been killed since 2020, and ORAU has documented 40 cases of threats or murders of individuals from native communities during the same period. This tragic incident has sparked demands for justice and calls for increased protection for indigenous leaders facing threats in the Amazon region.