Cauca (Colombia) is a tense battleground where land-rights defenders face violence; 2025 saw 124 killed globally, with Cauca amid the attacks linked to narco-terrorism and ongoing unrest.
Global Witness reports 124 killings of land and environmental defenders in 2025, led by Colombia (39) and Brazil (26). Indigenous people and small-scale farmers bear the brunt, with a notable overlap with organised crime. The total since 2012 reaches 2,375, though the rate shows some regional variation.