Julio Renán Peña Fernández
Julio Renán Peña Fernández is an indigenous leader and former authority of the community Sek’e Jahuira in the town of Viacha, La Paz, Bolivia. He has led efforts to defend indigenous peoples against the twenty-six mining companies that have illegally settled in Viacha in recent years, whose activities have contaminated the territory with cyanide, mercury, sulphuric acid and other heavy metals, causing negative environmental, social and cultural impacts that have forced residents to flee their communities. Due to his leadership and work to raise awareness of these issues, he has been the target of threats and defamation by individuals linked to the mining companies.
The environment for human rights defenders in any sector in Bolivia can be quite hostile. Human rights defenders face continuous attacks, threats and acts of intimidation in the country. The lack of response from the government is particularly worrisome and organisations – especially those which work to denounce human rights violations and abuses by the State – have suffered constant harassment and stigmatisation. Civil society has also denounced the lack of actions taken by the Bolivian State in the search for truth, justice and reparation for the serious human rights violations committed during the 18 years of military rule.
