▁held ▁for ▁the ▁National ▁Council ▁of ▁Rub ber ▁T app ers , ▁and ▁the ▁Alliance ▁of ▁Forest ▁Pe op les ▁was ▁created ▁to ▁protect ▁rub ber ▁t app ers , ▁rural ▁workers , ▁and ▁ind igen ous ▁pe op les ▁from ▁enc ro achment ▁on ▁traditional ▁lands . ▁ ▁Post - ass ass ination ▁impact ▁ ▁Ch ico ▁M endes ’ ▁death ▁legit im ized ▁the ▁struggle ▁for ▁conservation ▁and ▁union ization ▁in ▁the ▁Amazon ▁for ▁a ▁global ▁audience , ▁and ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁movements ▁pou red ▁in ▁immediately ▁following ▁his ▁death . ▁The ▁str ides ▁forward ▁made ▁by ▁activ ists ▁in ▁the ▁w ake ▁of ▁M endes ’ ▁death ▁are ▁mult if ac et ed , ▁en comp ass ing ▁Ind igen ous ▁so vere ig nt y ▁and ▁al liance , ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁extract ive ▁res erves , ▁and ▁government ▁support ▁for ▁M endes ’ ▁activ ism . ▁ ▁Gr ass ro ots ▁organ izing ▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Council ▁of ▁Rub ber ▁T app ers ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁by ▁M endes ▁and ▁other ▁union ▁members ; ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁three ▁months ▁after ▁M endes ’ ▁murder , ▁the ▁council ▁held ▁their ▁third ▁meeting . ▁The ▁Council ▁issued ▁twenty - se ven ▁dem ands ▁on ▁environmental ▁and ▁human ▁rights ▁protection . ▁They ▁also ▁issued ▁the ▁following ▁statement , ▁titled ▁the ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁the ▁Pe op les ▁of ▁the ▁Forest : “ The ▁traditional ▁pe op les ▁who ▁today ▁trace ▁on