The war for the Amazon's most valuable trees

How one murder changed the fate of the Amazon.

This is Part 2 of Vox Atlas: The Amazon, a three-part series about the world's largest rainforest, why it's in jeopardy, and the people trying to save it. Watch all three parts right here on YouTube.

The Amazon rainforest has faced encroachment and deforestation for a long time. But it wasn’t until Brazil’s military dictatorship came to power in the 1970s that deforestation spiked, becoming a big business in the Amazon. When that expansion reached the state of Acre, it met resistance. Chico Mendes, a rubber tapper from the region, took the fight to protect the Amazon from the depths of the rainforest to the global stage. In the process, he gave his life. But the fight he started lives on.

To understand the history of the Amazon and how Chico Mendes changed the course of that history, watch the video above, our second episode of Atlas’ Amazon miniseries.

Note: The headline on this piece has been updated.
Previous headline: How a murder changed the fate of the Amazon

[Vox]

Let us know what you think of this video in the comments! And stay tuned for our third and final episode on Monday! -Christina

[Strawman]

We need more people like Mr. Chico Mendes.

[cindyqueen]

People hate folks that are trying to save the world.

[bob-manuel]

Imagine murdering humans that are trying to preserve the world for future generations.

[jacobsh]

"At first he believed he was protecting the rubber tappers and the forest. But then he realized, he was protecting the Amazon and the world." He was the hero the world needed... and didn't even know.

[yahsaves]

When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money -Cree Indian

[isaacmartinez]

Chico's legacy goes on as his wife and children are doing his work.

[sebastiansaik]

"I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues."

[GamerbyDesign]

Humans inhumanity towards humans never ceases to amaze me.

[alexanderswander]

Seems everything is about money, but what’s money for if one day there won’t be a world to spend it?

[felipetakehara]

I'm Brazilian and I didn't know much about Chico Mende's life (shame on me). I'm very happy to know a bit more about him and Brazil.
Thank you very much for this piece of work, Vox!

[anayguptaanaygupta]

In your final video, could you please also add some things that we, the Youtube audience, can do to help the Amazon. Thank you so much for creating this series and spreading awareness, this issue truly deserves such coverage at the least.

[BrianVelez]

Every time someone does something different there is a line out the door trying to take that dream down. RIP Chico!

[breadmcstuffin]

People need to realize that money is just a value we all agree but not what it actually is


You can't buy the things you want when theres no more of it

[AnaCarolina-rnue]

this needs portuguese subtitles! there are many brazilians that are really ignorant about what's happening in the Amazon and normally those people give more credit to Americans and people that are not from Brazil

[isaiahramirez]

“At first, he believed he was protecting the rubber tappers and the forest...but then he realized, he was protecting The Amazon and the world”
His mission was for equality for his people but then it became so much more, it became survival for all people. What a great quote

[TommoCarroll]

A 3-part series about The Amazon?! Oh yes! 🌳🌳🌳

[sanjogkarki]

its good to see everyone giving efforts to aware about rainforest.

[moonbender]

And their selfishness will murder most of humanity.

[philipmaclean]

They changed the titled from “How one death changed the fate of the Amazon”