Amid the onslaught of negative news, we welcome signs of progress. This Tuesday, we received word that the confessed killer of Indigenous leader Arbildo Meléndez has finally been captured.

Arbildo’s widow, Zulema Guevara, has courageously fought for justice in her husband’s case, herself becoming the target of death threats. Due to her efforts, the authorities were forced to issue an arrest warrant last year. Though the killer's whereabouts were known, he spent months moving freely with impunity, until he was finally detained by the Kakataibo Indigenous Guard of the community of Santa Marta.

Although there is no guarantee that the assassin will ultimately be held accountable – much less those who ordered Arbildo’s killing – his detention is an important step. Arbildo, however, is just one of many Indigenous leaders who have been murdered in recent years in the Peruvian Amazon. What is the origin of this tragic situation, and what should be done?