Renowned Indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera, who spent years fighting for his community’s rights and was imprisoned by the government in September 2023, has died
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Brooklyn Rivera, a respected Indigenous leader from Nicaragua who devoted years to fighting for his community’s rights and was detained by authorities in September 2023, has died.
The Nicaraguan government issued a statement on Sunday saying that Rivera died from a bacterial infection after his health deteriorated following a COVID-19 infection, which caused physical and neurological decline.
Human rights activists and organizations worldwide condemned his death, and a Saturday statement from the government referred to Rivera as “Brother” and expressed prayers for him.
“He was taken alive, yet the authorities refused to inform his family, his lawyer, or anyone else about his fate, only to later label him a brother,” said Reed Brody, an American human rights attorney and member of a United Nations expert group on Nicaragua. “This reflects unconscionable cynicism on the part of the government, attempting to portray itself as helpful.”
Rivera was the leader of the Miskito people, who reside along Nicaragua’s northeastern coast and have long struggled to retain their lands.
For decades, he opposed the Sandinista government and helped designate the northeastern coast as an autonomous region, which is rich in gold, silver, and other resources. The area is strategically important to the administration of co‑Presidents Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, as a means to attract foreign investment.
