Francisco “Chico” Mendes

By Jennifer Brito

Francisco “Chico” Mendes was an amazing, hardworking and sensible person who I looked up so much because he was an environmental activist from Brazil. Francisco fought to stop the burning and cut down of the Amazon rainforest in his country. He was brave, because he fought against a lot of rich and powerful people. He was a person who had a big personality. He was really quiet. He never fought with weapons. He only used words; He did a lot of important things in his country. He founded and was the first president of the Xapuri Rural Workers' Union in Acre. He created the idea to protect the forest reserves. Francisco traveled to USA to talk to an important person in this country to stop a motorway in the middle of the Amazon. He could stop the action and explain that it is important to protect the Amazon rainforest but all these events were rejected by the ranchers who were living in this place. He was killed in 1988 by a gunshot when he was in his house with his family. He was an incredible person who all people need to know.