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Chico Mendes

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Advocate

The Resume

    (December 15, 1944-December 22, 1988)
    Born in Xapuri, Brazil
    Birth name was Francisco Alves Mendes Filho
    Founded the National Council of Rubber Tappers (1985)
    Fought to preserve the Amazon rainforest
    Shot and killed in front of his house in Xapuri by two cattle ranchers
    Portrayed by Raul Julia
    Book is 'Fight for the Forest: Chico Mendes in His Own Words' (published in 1989)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was a Pablo Escobar lookalike.
    At his 44th birthday, he predicted he would 'not live until Christmas.'
    For some reason his two bodyguards were just chilling inside his house when he was shot on his front lawn (leading to suspicions).
    His book ended up getting published posthumously.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was a second-generation rubber tapper who started as a child.
    He advocated for the human rights of Brazilian peasants and Indigenous peoples.
    He was the 1987 recipient of the Global 500 Award of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for environmental activism.
    He survived six attempts on his life before an attempt finally succeeded.
    His death brought forth numerous changes in how the Brazilian government.
    Most important would be the creation of extractive reserves - forest land set aside by the Brazilian government to be managed cooperatively by locals.
    The Chico Mendes Institute for Conservation of Biodiversity, a body under the jurisdiction of the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment, is named in his honor.
    A species of bird, Chico's tyrannulet, was named in his honor.
    He either inspired or is memorialized in several tribute songs, including those by Paul McCartney, Living Colour, and Roy Harper.
    He said: 'At first I thought I was fighting to save rubber trees, then I thought I was fighting to save the Amazon rainforest. Now, I realize, I am fighting for humanity.'

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 16.67% Annoying