Edwin Bustillos

{{Short description|Mexican human rights activist (1964–2003)}} {{Infobox person | name = Edwin Bustillos | image = Edwin Bustillos.jpg | image_size = 200 px | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date |1964|5|16}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age |2003|2|21|1964|5|16}} | death_place = | monuments = | citizenship = Mexican | other_names = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = Agricultural engineer | years_active = | employer = | organization = | known_for = | notable_works = | style = | television = | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = | relatives = | awards = Goldman Environmental Prize (1996) }} '''Edwin Bustillos García''' (May 16, 1964 – February 21, 2003) was a Mexican human rights activist, environmentalist,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edwin-Bustillos-Garcia|last=Tikkanen|first=Amy|title=Edwin Bustillos García: Mexican human rights activist and environmentalist|work=Encyclopædia Britannica|date=2019-05-12|accessdate=2019-06-14}}</ref> and agricultural engineer from the Sierra Madre in Mexico.<ref name="fortlewis">Fort Lewis College: [http://www.fortlewis.edu/anthro/ethnobotany/baca/News_Letters/pv1_4.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528172219/http://www.fortlewis.edu/anthro/ethnobotany/baca/News_Letters/pv1_4.htm |date=2010-05-28 }} (Retrieved on January 7, 2012)</ref> He was partially of Tarahumara descent.<ref name = "americanuni">American University: [http://www1.american.edu/ted/MEXDEFOR.HTM] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228191927/http://www1.american.edu/ted/mexdefor.htm |date=2012-02-28 }} (Retrieved on January 7, 2012)</ref>

Bustillos worked for a forestry-development project funded by the World bank. However, while he was involved in that effort, he became more interested in the humanitarian problems of the Sierra Madre, including the drug trafficking issues.<ref name = Weisman>[http://www.neiu.edu/~circill/bueno/hist353/deaharvsierma.pdf]{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (retrieved on October 12, 2012)</ref> He also worked on other illegal activity in the region used to manipulate the natives.<ref name = Kawell>[http://www.neiu.edu/~circill/bueno/hist354/drugeconomies.pdf]{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}(Retrieved on October 12, 2012)</ref> In 1992, Bustillos founded the Consejo Asesor Sierra Madre.<ref name = BSP1996>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053959/http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PDABR621.pdf] (retrieved on October 12, 2012)</ref> This organization focuses on conservation and protection of the native's way of life and the environment. This has, at times, been at odds with the drug traffickers in the area, who have been accused of working against the interests of the local population.<ref name = "Hartford Web Publishing">[http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/41/245.html] (Retrieved on February 17, 2012)</ref>

Bustillos was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1996<ref name="goldman">Goldman Environmental Prize: [https://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/edwin-bustillos/ Edwin Bustillos]. Accessed 13 September 2021</ref> for his efforts on the preservation of land in the Sierra Madre Occidental. He is also featured in the film ''Voices of the Sierra Tarahumara''.<ref name = "IMDB">Internet Movie Database: [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382370/] (Retrieved on February 17, 2012)</ref>

Bustillos died in 2003 after a long illness.<ref name = "goldman"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-01-09-tm-10057-story.html "Drug Lords Vs. The Tarahumara" from the ''Los Angeles Times''] * [https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/02/world/mexico-s-indians-face-new-conquistador-drugs.html?src=pm "Mexico's Indians Face New Conquistador: Drugs" from ''The New York Times''] * [http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/Trouble-in-the-Land-of-Muy-Verde.html?page=all "Trouble in the Land of Muy Verde" from ''Outside'']

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bustillos, Edwin}} Category:Mexican environmentalists Category:2003 deaths Category:1964 births Category:Goldman Environmental Prize awardees Category:Sierra Madre Occidental Category:Mexican people of Indigenous peoples descent Category:Rarámuri people