Luisa Ortega

Peruvian environmental lawyer protecting Amazon rainforest communities from illegal mining

About Luisa Ortega

Luisa Ortega is a Peruvian human rights lawyer specializing in environmental justice. Since 2017, she has led legal campaigns to stop illegal gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon, working closely with indigenous communities like the Asháninka and Shipibo. Her organization Defend Amazonia combines legal strategies with grassroots organizing to enforce environmental regulations and secure land rights.

Significant Actions

• Won landmark 2021 Supreme Court ruling banning mercury use in mining
• Documented over 1,200 illegal mining operations along the Ucayali River
• Trained 200+ indigenous leaders in legal advocacy techniques

Ortega was granted the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2023, often called the "Nobel Prize for the Earth". Her work has directly led to the closure of 34 illegal mining camps and the protection of 150,000 hectares of rainforest. She frequently collaborates with international groups like Amazon Watch and has spoken at COP26 and COP27 climate conferences. Read her UN Human Rights Council testimony here.