Through a strategic partnership, Data Fixers and InfoAmazonia are excited to announce the launch of “The Amazon Underworld,” a groundbreaking project funded and supported in part through The Brown Institute for Media Innovation. This initiative aims to shed light on the complex and devastating criminal networks operating beneath the verdant canopy of the Amazon, the world’s most biodiverse ecosystem.
“The Amazon Underworld” uncovers a hidden reality in the largest rainforest on the planet. A maze of thousands of rivers allows for the unrestrained movement of criminal groups, while dense foliage conceals their activities. These groups are responsible for illegally extracting jungle resources and narcotics that link nine countries in a sprawling web of corruption and violence.
The Amazon’s dark underbelly fuels a multibillion-dollar illegal trade in drugs, gold, and arms, perpetuating cycles of crime and destruction. “The Amazon Underworld” represents a collaborative effort to unearth these cycles and prompt action from governments, organizations, and the global community.
“The Amazon Underworld” is more than a project; it’s a call to action. It’s a rallying cry for individuals, organizations, and governments to recognize the urgency of the situation and work together to protect the Amazon, its unique biodiversity, and the people who call it home. Congratulations to the Data Fixers team and to InfoAmazonia for their incredible reporting.
For more information on “The Amazon Underworld,” visit infoamazonia.com, or contact Luiz Fernando Toledo at toledo.luiz@columbia.edu.