Chico Mendes Rank
About Chico Mendes
Brazilian environmentalist and trade unionist Chico Mendes was most known for his tireless campaign to preserve the Amazon rainforest. He was also praised for his effort championing the rights of indigenous people and working class Brazilians.
Born in Seringal Santa, the human rights activist and environmentalist's life was cut short in 1998.
Did you know?
Mendes didn't start reading until he was nearly 20 years old.
Organized labor
Mendes started to unite the local rubber tappers, and he was quickly chosen to lead the Xapuri Rubber Tappers' Union. The National Council of Rubber Tappers of Brazil was founded by Mendes in the middle of the 1980s, and he was shortly chosen as its head.
Achievements
Mendes and his workers resisted the expulsion of 100,000 tappers by 130 ranchers by organizing whole families to stand in front of chainsaws and stop bulldozers. Their initiatives had some success and caught the eye of the global environmental community.
Mendes received the National Conservation Achievement Award from the National Wildlife Federation in 1988, and in 1987, he was named to the UNEP Global 500 Roll of Honor Award.
Murder and death
Chico Mendes and his family frequently received death threats as a result of their work. He was killed by a single shotgun blast on the evening of December 22, 1988, outside his family's home.
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F.A.Q. about Chico Mendes
When is his birthday?
Chico Mendes' birthday is on December 15, 1944.
In how many days is his birthday?
Chico's birthday is in 234 days
How old was Chico when he died?
He was 44 years old.
When did he die?
He died in December 22, 1988.
How old would he be today?
Chico Mendes would be 79 years old if he was alive today.
Where was Chico from?
He was born in Xapuri, Brazil.