The number of environmental crimes, or at least the denunciation thereof, appears on the rise: 5916 legal complaints filed in 2001, vs. 8154 in 2009 - a 40-plus percent rise. This could of course mean either that more crimes are committed or that more crimes are filed.
Regardless, as Greenpeace notes, the defense of Mexico's forests has become an ever more dangerous activity;
defenders of Mexico's forests, including activists, members of Mexico's forest communities, as well as of PROFEPA, the federal attorney for environmental protection, have been harassed, including arbitrary arrests, torture, gunshots, and threats. In particularly Durango, Chihuahua and Michoacán, entire forest zones are "no-go" areas, rather in hands of drug gangs, illegal loggers and, notably according to Greenpeace, thugs hired by international corporations to ensure their exploitation of valuable areas.
Kudos to Milenio for its recent focus on Mexico's forests and environmental crimes.
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