The Putumayo River is a breathtaking and important artery in the Colombian Amazon. Unfortunately, it is also a dangerous place.

Ripping over the water in a small speedboat as we passed jungle-lined shores, I was elated to finally meet Jani Silva, an inspiring community leader and environmental defender. Following virtual advocacy events and an important essay about her in the New York Times, an Amazon Watch delegation finally visited southern Colombia and accompanied Jani to her rural community, Pedregosa, in early May.

On the boat, I realized that Jani might not be sharing my exhilaration. The river is controlled by an illegal armed group heavily implicated in the drug trade, which has issued many death threats against her. In recent years, she has only returned home when accompanied by human rights observers, and she doesn’t stay the night. These trips are important for her as a community leader, but also risky.