Indigenous leader, son killed in land invasion

A local Indigenous leader and his son died in a gunfight with land invaders who tried to run them off their land near Nicaragua’s northern Caribbean coast, an environmental group said Monday.

Transito Melgara, a leader in Sukatpin, a Miskito community in the Twi Waupasa territory, and his son Terlin Melgara, were killed Saturday, said environmentalist Amaru Ruiz, director of the Del Rio Foundation.

Ruiz alleged the fight was initiated by Gilberto and David Castro, a father and son who he said also died in the incident.

Nicaragua’s National Police had not comment on the attack.

Ruiz said at least 3,000 Indigenous people have been forced off their land in Nicaragua by invaders since 2015.