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Articles by Karla Mendes
Karla Mendes is an award-winning Brazilian journalist working as a Rio de
Janeiro-based Investigative and Feature Reporter for Mongabay and a fellow of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Rainforest Investigations Network. She has been working as a correspondent for international outlets since 2015 and she specialized in covering environmental, land and property rights issues since 2017. She worked as a land and property rights correspondent for the Thomson Reuters Foundation between August 2017 and December 2018. Prior to that, Karla was a business reporter for over 10 years in Rio, Madrid, Brasilia and Belo Horizonte, including with newspapers O Globo, O Estado de S. Paulo, Expansión and news agency S&P Global Market Intelligence. Karla has a Master in Investigative and Data Journalism from the University of King’s College, Canada, and an MBA in finance from São Paulo’s Fundação Instituto de Administração (FIA). She is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Image by Fábio Nascimento.
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![Indigenous activists demand justice after five from their communities were shot.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/08/09161025/protest-768x512.jpg)
Indigenous activists demand justice after 5 shot in Amazonian ‘palm oil war’
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Brazil claims record shark fin bust: Nearly 29 tons from 10,000 sharks seized
![Lúcio Tembé, chief of the Turé-Mariquita village in Tomé-Açu, northeastern Pará.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/05/16114619/Tembe-768x512.jpg)
Indigenous chief shot in head in Brazil’s ‘palm oil war’ region; crisis group launched
![Oil palm harvest in Pará, Brazil.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/04/26162531/oil-palm-para-brazil-768x512.jpg)
Violence escalates in Amazonian communities’ land conflict with Brazil palm oil firm
![A Quilombolas man lights candles in the cemetery.](https://news.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/12/cemetary-candles-1-768x512.jpg)
RSPO suspension of Brazil palm oil exporter tied to Mongabay land-grabbing report
![Célia Xakriabá.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/02/08142630/Celia-Xakriaba-1-768x512.jpg)
‘If Brazil starts with us, why did we arrive last?’: Q&A with Indigenous lawmaker Célia Xakriabá
![Joenia Wapichana.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/02/01135959/Joenia-Wapichana-1-768x512.jpg)
Joenia Wapichana: ‘I want to see the Yanomami and Raposa Serra do Sol territories free of invasions’
![Sonia Guajajara](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/01/24111832/Sonia-Guajajara-768x512.jpg)
Sonia Guajajara: Turnaround from jail threats to Minister of Indigenous Peoples
![A member of the Pataxó community.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/01/20093329/pataxo-menber-768x512.jpg)
Murders of 2 Pataxó leaders prompt Ministry of Indigenous Peoples to launch crisis office
![Broken windows at Brazil's Presidential Palace after terrorist acts on Jan. 8 in Brasília. Image courtesy of Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/Agência Brasil.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/01/13211807/pzzb7746-768x512.jpg)
For Indigenous Brazilians, capital attack was ‘scenario of war’ akin to deforestation
![‘Funai is ours’: Officers, Indigenous people ‘retake’ agency under President Lula](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/01/09163810/Funai-meet-1-768x512.jpg)
‘Funai is ours’: Brazil’s Indigenous affairs agency is reclaimed under Lula
![First day of 2023 with the inauguration of President Lula.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/01/04121619/lula-president-768x512.jpg)
President Lula’s first pro-environment acts protect Indigenous people and the Amazon
![Researcher Elielson Pereira da Silva and Quilombola people sit waiting for a canoe.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/12/28133308/Quilombolas-768x512.jpg)
Video: In Brazil’s Amazon, Quilombolas fight major palm oil firm for access to cemeteries
![Members of the Quilombolas community make their way across.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/12/20132134/oil-palm-investigation-768x512.jpg)
Video: Stolen Quilombola cemeteries in the Amazon, and the probe that revealed it all
![Raimundo Serrão lights candles for their departed family members.](https://news.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/12/lighting-candles-1-768x512.jpg)
Major Brazil palm oil exporter accused of fraud, land-grabbing over Quilombola cemeteries
![Patchwork of legal forest reserves, pasture, and soy farms drone.](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/11/08163801/soy-amazon-768x512.jpg)
Despite 11% drop in 2022, Amazon deforestation rate has soared under Bolsonaro
![](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/10/25145100/Brazils-biggest-elected-Indigenous-caucus-1-768x512.jpg)
Brazil’s biggest elected Indigenous caucus to face tough 2023 Congress
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In Brazil, a heavily fined firm is also accused of waging a ‘palm oil war’ on communities
![](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/10/07122041/palm-oil-brazil-768x512.jpg)
Mongabay probe key as Brazil court rules on palm oil pesticide contamination
![](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/09/29050420/The-Fixer-in-Paraná-768x512.jpg)
The Fixers: Top U.S. flooring retailers linked to Brazilian firm probed for corruption
![Indigenous demonstration in Brasília](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/09/12141808/1-Indigenous-demonstration-768x512.jpg)
Indigenous Brazilians demand justice as 4 killed in escalating violence
![“Guardians of the Forest” Paulo Paulino Guajajara (left) and Laércio Guajajara (right)](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/06/30165053/Paulo-Paulino-Guajajara-left-and-Laercio-Guajajara-right-768x512.jpg)
Indigenous advocates sense a legal landmark as a guardian’s killing heads to trial
![Brazil. Composite: João Laet/AFP/Getty Images (left); Daniel Marenco/Agência O Globo (right)](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/06/16222151/dom-bruno-header-768x512.jpg)
The war on journalists and environmental defenders in the Amazon continues (commentary)
![](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/06/30203103/header-indigenous-history-768x512.jpg)
‘I am Indigenous, not pardo’: Push for self-declaration in Brazil’s census
![](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/06/30185107/header-rio-1-768x512.jpg)
In Rio de Janeiro, Indigenous people fight to undo centuries of erasure
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‘We are made invisible’: Brazil’s Indigenous on prejudice in the city
![](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/03/26151948/IMG_5958-1-768x512.jpg)
Brazil prosecutors cite Mongabay probe in new legal battle against palm oil firms
![](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/03/12013622/Brazil_palm-oil_featured_CIFOR-768x512.png)
Déjà vu as palm oil industry brings deforestation, pollution to Amazon
![](https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2019/11/02172222/BANNER-IMAGE-Paulo-1-768x452.jpg)
‘Guardian of the Forest’ ambushed and murdered in Brazilian Amazon
Special series
Forest Trackers
- Cut down once again: Uncontrolled logging puts new Sahel reforestation projects at risk
- VIDEO: The truth about Cambodia’s Prey Lang sanctuary | Chasing Deforestation
- New concession in Botum Sakor National Park handed to Cambodia’s Royal Group
- Elephants invade as habitat loss soars in Nigerian forest reserve
![Forest Trackers](https://news.mongabay.com/wp-content/themes/mongabay_v1/img/series/forest-trackers.jpg)
Oceans
- Indonesian village forms coast guard to protect octopus in Mentawai Islands
- From rat-ridden to reserve, Redonda is an island restoration role model
- Seventy-plus nations sign historic high seas treaty, paving way for ratification
- First Nation and scientists partner to revive climate-saving eelgrass
![Oceans](https://news.mongabay.com/wp-content/themes/mongabay_v1/img/series/oceans.jpg)
Amazon Conservation
- Cacao and cupuaçu emerge as Amazon’s bioeconomy showcases
- Amazon drought cuts river traffic, leaves communities without water and supplies
- New online map tracks threats to uncontacted Indigenous peoples in Brazil’s Amazon
- Brazil Supreme Court quashes time frame proposal in win for Indigenous rights
![Amazon Conservation](https://news.mongabay.com/wp-content/themes/mongabay_v1/img/series/amazon-conservation.jpg)
Land rights and extractives
- Indigenous community fighting a mine in Palawan wins a milestone legal verdict
- Son of slain Quilombola leader will still strive for community’s rights
- South Africa community members decry traditional leaders’ power amid mine plans
- Can upcoming referendum in Ecuador stop oil drilling in Yasuní National Park?
![Land rights and extractives](https://news.mongabay.com/wp-content/themes/mongabay_v1/img/series/land-rights-and-extractives.jpg)
Endangered Environmentalists
- Vietnamese environmentalist sentenced to 3 years in prison for tax evasion
- Son of slain Quilombola leader will still strive for community’s rights
- Video: Five Tembé Indigenous activists shot in Amazonian ‘palm oil war’
- Indigenous activists demand justice after 5 shot in Amazonian ‘palm oil war’
![Endangered Environmentalists](https://news.mongabay.com/wp-content/themes/mongabay_v1/img/series/endangered-environmentalists.jpg)
Indonesia's Forest Guardians
- Pioneer agroforester Ermi, 73, rolls back the years in Indonesia’s Gorontalo
- After 20 years and thousands of trees planted, Kalimantan’s veteran forester persists
- Aziil Anwar, Indonesian coral-based mangrove grower, dies at 64
- A utopia of clean air and wet peat amid Sumatra’s forest fire ‘hell’
![Indonesia's Forest Guardians](https://news.mongabay.com/wp-content/themes/mongabay_v1/img/series/indonesias-forest-guardians.jpg)
Conservation Effectiveness
- Forest restoration can fare better with human helping hand, study shows
- From rat-ridden to reserve, Redonda is an island restoration role model
- Video: Rice as a peace offering in India’s human-elephant conflict capital
- Group certification helps Malaysia’s Sabah aim for palm oil sustainability
![Conservation Effectiveness](https://news.mongabay.com/wp-content/themes/mongabay_v1/img/series/conservation-effectiveness.jpg)
Southeast Asian infrastructure
- Indonesia’s new capital ‘won’t sacrifice the environment’: Q&A with Nusantara’s Myrna Asnawati Safitri
- Small farmers in limbo as Cambodia wavers on Tonle Sap conservation rules
- To build its ‘green’ capital city, Indonesia runs a road through a biodiverse forest
- Robust river governance key to restoring Mekong River vitality in face of dams
![Southeast Asian infrastructure](https://news.mongabay.com/wp-content/themes/mongabay_v1/img/series/southeast-asian-infrastructure.jpg)