In Colombia, Francisco Vera, an 11-year-old boy, is well known.
He speaks for environmental protection and participates in activities to defend children’s rights.
However, recently, Villa has been threatened with death for calling on the government to better educate children during the COVID-19 epidemic.
In response, Colombian President Duke promised last week that he would uncover the “bandits” who threatened Villa, while Colombian police said that the investigation was under way.
According to a BBC report on the 27th, Vera received death threats from an anonymous Twitter account on January 15.
This follows Vera’s tweet of a video urging the government to improve internet connectivity for children who learn online.
In an interview with the BBC, Vera said that although he welcomed criticism, the threat of violence was unacceptable.
In Colombia, violence against human rights activists and environmental leaders occurs from time to time, and death threats against an 11-year-old boy have aroused public indignation in the country.
Lourdes Castro, a human rights activist, said, “This form of threat is common in Colombia and usually goes unpunished.
However, threats to an 11-year-old child are further exacerbated by incomorance and disrespect for freedom of expression.”
Villa’s mother Ana Maria Manzanares hopes that the death threats her son has received recently are “just a cruel joke”.
He said that government officials called her to express their support and were investigating who might be behind the scenes.
It was the first time that someone had mocked Vera online, but it was the first time to send him a death threat.” I am confident my son can focus on what he likes to do and leave it behind it.”
According to the British newspaper The Sun, the government of Colombia has also provided psychological counseling for Vera and her parents to help them cope with the unpleasant experience.
Earlier, in a letter signed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations Human Rights Committee praised Vera’s activities, saying that the planet needs more younger generations to have his “passion to protect the planet”, “We also agree that it should be changed for children around the world.
Good network connection status.” It is reported that the letter was personally handed over to Villa by Bachelet’s representative in Colombia.
Vera expressed his pleasure in receiving recognition from the United Nations and hoped that this year, he would cooperate with others on environmental protection projects, including a campaign to ban single-use plastics in Colombia.
The BBC reported that Vera said that he began to participate in anti-bullfighting protests with his family when he was six years old, and since then, Vera has become an environmental activist.
The love of nature has him to focus on other issues, such as resource recovery and opposition to mining in nature reserves. “I grew up in the mountains with chickens, ducks, goats and birds, which made me a defender of animal rights, and then an environmental activist.”
Villa’s hometown is Villeta, 90 kilometers from the capital Bogotá, where in 2019, Villa founded an environmental organization called “Keepers of Life”.
He and six classmates marched to the city center, picking up garbage along the way and shouting slogans about climate change, thus starting its environmental protection. Course.
At present, Guardian of Life has more than 200 members in 11 provinces of Colombia, even Mexico and Argentina.
“Kids need to have a say in today’s big issues, like climate change and economic policy.” “We’ve been affected by the decisions that adults make,” Vera said.
