Arrested in Brazil the alleged intellectual author of the murder of Dom Philips and Bruno Pereira in the Amazon

A rally calls for justice for the murder of journalist Dom Philips and indigenista Bruno Pereira, this week in Rio de Janeiro. Silvia Izquierdo (AP)

The Brazilian Federal Police arrested the main suspect of being the principal in the murder of journalist Dom Philips and indigenist Bruno Pereira last month in the Amazon.

This is Rubens Villar Coelho, of dual Brazilian and Peruvian nationality and known as Colombia, according to the

portal .

According to police information, Colombia was arrested on Thursday, July 7, when he presented himself with false documents at the Tabatinga police station, where he was to be interrogated for his alleged participation in the murders.

Colombia denied being involved, but the evidence suggests that he used the sale of illegally obtained fish to launder drug money from Peru and Colombia, countries that border the Yavarí Valley region, where the crimes took place. .

It is one of the most remote and best preserved points in the Amazon, but it is also a drain for drug traffickers, loggers, fishermen and

[informal miners] who act outside the law.

Philips, who worked for

newspaper, was there precisely to interview the indigenous leaders who are fighting to defend their territory from these invasions.

He was traveling accompanied by Pereira, who had worked for the state National Indian Foundation (FUNAI) pursuing these environmental crimes.

Under the support of this state body, he managed to confiscate tons of piracurus, high-value fish, and tracajás, turtles considered a delicacy in the Amazon region.

Contrary to its interests, Colombia would have ordered one of its workers, the furtive fisherman Amarildo da Costa Oliveira, to kill the indigenist.

The last time Pereira and Philips were seen alive was June 5.

They left the village of São Rafael and were expected a few hours later in the city of Atalaia do Norte, but their boat never reached its destination.

His remains were found ten days later on the banks of the Itaquaí River.

They had been shot dead and their bodies burned and buried in the jungle.

At least eight people are being investigated for their possible involvement in the murders and the concealment of the bodies.

Three of the suspects are in jail: Amarildo da Costa Oliveira himself;

his brother Oseney da Costa de Oliveira, known as

;

and Jefferson da Silva Lima.

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