South America Newsletter June 2026

This month, we bring you news from Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile.

Highlights are:

• Colombia: There is an Urgent Action regarding the need for stronger protection for members of the Inter-Church Commission for Justice and Peace following death threats against a human rights defender in northern Colombia.
• Ecuador: There is an update regarding efforts to end toxic gas flaring in the Amazon, as activists delivered nearly 500,000 signatures to the government.
• Argentina: A new Amnesty report warns that cuts to sexual and reproductive health programmes are creating growing barriers to accessing legal abortion across the country.
• Brazil: A planned reform to strengthen independent investigations into police killings has been delayed by one year, despite ongoing concerns over record levels of police violence.
• Venezuela: Human Rights Watch says the new amnesty law excludes many arbitrarily detained people, with at least 457 political prisoners still held.
• Bolivia: Congress has lifted limits on emergency presidential powers to deploy the army and restrict freedoms amid economic crisis protests, raising human rights concerns.
• Chile: The UN and human rights groups urge stronger action on enforced disappearances under the National Search Plan, amid concerns over Indigenous land rights and threats to community leaders.

COLOMBIA

URGENT ACTION: In late March, human rights defender Juan Carlos Gaona, a member of the Inter-Church Commission for Justice and Peace in northern Colombia, received a text message stating that an operation to murder him had been frustrated by chance – but that he would not be so lucky next time. This death threat highlights the urgent need for stronger protection for members of this organization across the country. Amnesty is calling on Colombian authorities to comply with international measures ordering it to protect the organization. Please click here to take action!

ECUADOR

On 29 April, members of Amnesty’s Americas regional office accompanied members of the Guerreras por la Amazonía and the Union de Afectados por Texaco (UDAPT – Union of those affected by Texaco) to deliver some of the 492,174 signatures from Amnesty activists worldwide to the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment and Energy.  The petition calls on the State to comply with the 2021 Provincial Court ruling to eliminate gas flares that continue to release toxic gases, severely affecting the health and environment of Amazonian communities.  400k voices – Activists deliver signatures demanding Ecuador’s govt enforce ruling on toxic gas flares across Amazon | Video Viory.  The regional office has asked us to pass on their thanks to all those who have taken, and are continuing to take, action either through last year’s Write for Rights Campaign or through the casefile.

A Guardian article of 20 May highlights the widespread human rights abuses occurring in Ecuador because of the government’s use of the armed forces to maintain law and order in the face of the threat from organised crime.

ARGENTINA

Amnesty International Argentina’s new report, “The Cost of Withdrawal: barriers, indebtedness and inequality in access to abortion in Argentina”, argues that recent cuts to national sexual and reproductive health programmes are undermining practical access to legal abortion across the country. The report documents shortages of essential medicines, which Amnesty says have forced many to pay out of pocket, incur debt, or face significant delays in obtaining care. Amnesty also reports growing barriers for adolescents and young people, many of whom struggle to obtain accurate information or timely support.

Disability organisations warn that funding shortages are pushing essential support services towards collapse. Therapy centres, transport providers, special-education programmes and residential facilities are struggling to operate because government payments have failed to keep pace with inflation and have now been frozen.  President Milei has again moved to annul the Disability Emergency Law. Recent proposals to overhaul disability legislation, including new eligibility and registration requirements, triggered protests by disability-rights groups, families and healthcare workers across the country.

Argentina’s Human Rights organisation H.I.J.O.S. launched a free digital sticker album to teach young people about the work of the Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo. The album is inspired by the popular World Cup album sold by Panini, but with a twist aimed at raising awareness and generating greater engagement with these issues, just two months after Argentina marked the 50th anniversary of the military coup. The album features members of the Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo instead of the traditional football players.

BRAZIL

Brazil has postponed a new reform which would require prosecutors — not the police — to lead investigations into police killings and ensure they meet international standards. The implementation has been delayed by one year. Human Rights Watch reports that 2025 was the deadliest year on record for police violence, with 6,588 killings. It warns that current investigations often have very serious shortcomings and calls for independent investigations into police abuses. Read more here.

VENEZUELA

Human Rights Watch has stated that Venezuela’s new amnesty law has serious shortcomings that exclude many people who have been arbitrarily detained. Venezuelan authorities say that more than 8,600 people, including over 300 who had been imprisoned, have benefited from the law, though without providing a list. However, many opposition members, journalists, and human rights defenders who had been arbitrarily detained have been excluded. At least 457 political prisoners remain behind bars, according to the human rights group Foro Penal.

BOLIVIA

In response to a growing wave of protests, the Bolivia Congress has eliminated restrictions on the president’s powers to take emergency measures to deploy the army and curb some liberties, including freedom of movement and assembly. The protests are in response to policies introduced by the government to resolve Bolivia’s economic crisis. Protesters have blockaded entry routes into La Paz, shops have shuttered for fear of violence, and food, medicine and fuel supplies are running low. Critics say the removal of the restrictions puts human rights at risk.

CHILE

A United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances urged the Government of Chile to maintain and improve public policies initiated under the National Search Plan, published in 2023, to clarify the circumstances of the disappearance and death of victims of enforced disappearance during the military dictatorship. They described the initiative as an important step toward truth, justice, and reparations for families still searching for their disappeared relatives, but recommended several measures to strengthen the effectiveness and sustainability of the National Search Plan.

A new report from the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) says Chile continues to fall short on Indigenous rights and criticises government proposals for failing to fully address claims to traditionally occupied lands. The report raises concerns about growing hostility toward Indigenous territorial rights, including threats directed at community leaders. Amnesty International, in its annual report, raised concerns about Indigenous Rights and Human Rights Defenders. Others have concerns that existing conflicts over land and indigenous rights may deepen under the new administration.

All the best,

South America Team – Carolina Beresford (Colombia and Brazil), David Rogers (Argentina and Chile), James Baird (Venezuela) and Graham Minter (the rest of South America).  Don’t forget that you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.