“Second person linked to butterfly sanctuary found dead in Mexico”, 2 February 2020

The body of a tour guide who worked at a famous butterfly reserve in Mexico has been discovered two days after a prominent monarch butterfly activist was found dead. Mexican authorities said they are investigating the possible murder of Raul Hernandez, whose body was found beaten and with a head injury possibly caused by a sharp object…

Earlier this week, activist Homero Gomez Gonzalez was found floating in a well in the state of Michoacan, where the reserve is located, two weeks after he vanished. His disappearance and ensuing death sparked an outcry in Mexico, where environmental and human rights activists are routinely threatened or even killed as a result of their work…

The Michoacan Human Rights Commission urged authorities to investigate if Gonzalez’s disappearance was connected to illegal loggers, reported Mexico News Daily. “He is probably hurting the [business] interests of people illegally logging in the area,” said Mayta Cardona, an official at the commission.