You played a critical role in the creation of Yaguas National Park in 2018. What led you to do this work?

We had been working on strengthening the communities to combat illegal logging and other activities that we face in the river basins. As a leader, it is important to always strengthen the communities. The work to stop illegal activities led us to get involved in the prior-consultation process that was carried out to create Yaguas National Park.

Was this an extension of communities’ work to secure land titles?

As a federation, we had been working on titling for many years. First, we had to secure titles and then focus on the resolutions to expand the scope of the original titles to cover our territory. Thanks to the leaders who came before me, the 14 indigenous communities that form Fecona have received their titles and have had expansions approved. The process took about 15 years.

Yaguas National Park was created in 2018. How has it helped the region’s communities?

We have gone through different stages over the years. After the prior consultation and creation of the park, the communities began working with public institutions and private groups to create relationships and move ahead. All of that stopped with the pandemic and we have lost more than a year, but we are reestablishing our ties. Thanks to the creation of the park, the communities have been able to benefit from the government’s Forest Program [Programa Bosque, created in 2010 to incentivize sustainable development initiatives such as fish farming] to carry out projects. That has been one of the first achievements.

How has the pandemic affected the communities?

The pandemic affected us in many ways. The virus infected many families and it hurt our economy. We work in agriculture and crafts, and the markets for our products closed. The communities have not been able to earn income. We will always remember Benjamín [Rodríguez, a Huitoto elder who fought for the creation of Yaguas and died of Covid-19 in June 2020].

Are illegal activities in the park now under control?

Thankfully, illegal activities have mainly stopped. We are not seeing the same kind of pressure as we did a few years ago. With the creation of the park there are now guard stations and some of the people who were involved in illegal activities have come to understand it was harmful. While illegal activities have declined, we cannot let down our guard. If there is a sense that the park is just an empty space, then illegal activities fill the void. This is why there is a [management] plan that has to be enforced.

How can Amazon deforestation be curbed?

I think that one of the principal issues has to do with leadership. The people who have leadership roles in the communities need to strengthen ties with the government and private institutions working to mitigate this. No one can do it alone. The leaders have to form alliances because the communities are vulnerable on their own. They need income and are tempted to let in others who make offers to use the forests.

What does the park mean for you?

The Yaguas National Park for me has many meanings. It is a sacred space. It is the place where our ancestors fled to escape slavery during the period of rubber extraction. This is something that we hold very close and is a place that needs to be revered for its relationship with our ancestors. It is also an important source of sustenance. It is where the animals, fish and plants we depend on reproduce. It is where the clean water we depend on originates. When you think about what it provides, it is where the life of our communities starts.

What is the next step for the park?

First, I want to thank the Institute for the Commons [Instituto del Bien Común—a Peruvian nonprofit that advocates for indigenous land rights] for all the support they have offered to facilitate the work of the community leaders so we could reach authorities and secure titles to our territory. They continue to support us. The area covered by the park is extensive and what we need to do now is ensure that all of the agreements from the prior consultation for the park are respected. We are also working on securing approval of the Lower Putumayo Communal Reserve [a 318,049-hectare, or 785,916-acre area to be co-managed by the government and native communities to enable sustainable commercial activities]. We are seeking assistance for communities to strengthen and expand protected areas, because once an area is protected we have a better chance to keep out illegal activities. [Intruders] look for areas without legal protection and move in to take advantage.

What do you want to do next?

I am going to continue with my work. I am more committed than ever to continue strengthening our communities and our commitment to the forest. I will work with young people to show them the importance of protecting the environment. We always need to be thinking about the generations that will follow us.