Missing in the Amazon Podcast Unpacks 2022 Disappearance of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira

• by Arlen Fitzpatrick
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A Closer Look at the Disappearance of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira

The Amazon has always been remote and mysterious, but what happened in June 2022 turned the world’s eyes to the dangers hidden deep in its forests. Dom Phillips, a British journalist, and Bruno Pereira, a respected Brazilian advocate for indigenous rights, set out together to document the environmental crimes threatening the Amazon’s future. Ten days later, their bodies were found, and their story rocked both Brazil and far beyond.

Their disappearance wasn’t just another headline about rainforest destruction. It exposed how risky it is to stand up for the Amazon, especially when facing powerful criminal networks and political indifference. Dom and Bruno had become targets because they chose to dig into illegal fishing, poaching, and drug trafficking in some of the Amazon’s most dangerous areas. Local communities had long warned about these risks, but few expected things to go this far.

Behind the Podcast: Telling a Story the World Needs to Hear

The Guardian took a bold step with Missing in the Amazon, a six-part podcast hosted by Tom Phillips—who, in a strange twist, shared almost the same last name as Dom and happened to be a close friend. Tom brings listeners into the heart of the crisis with personal memories, interviews with family, and conversations with the colleagues who knew Dom and Bruno best. Hearing from people actually living in and around the rainforest, you're reminded that it's not just activists and journalists at risk—entire communities are caught in the crossfire.

The podcast goes beyond just the details of the case. You get a picture of how Dom transitioned from writing about music in the UK to documenting environmental battles in the Amazon, driven by a passion for exposing hidden truths. Bruno, meanwhile, is shown as tireless; he spent his life navigating the rivers and back-roads to help indigenous groups protect their land from outsiders eager to exploit it for cash. These aren’t just statistics—they’re people whose work made a real difference, and whose loss is still felt by those around them.

The Wall Street Journal’s podcast, The Journal, jumped into the story from a slightly different angle, digging into what their deaths mean for the broader movement to defend the Amazon. Their hosts put a spotlight on the violent reality for environmental defenders, where standing up for the rainforest can mean putting your own life on the line.

Both shows stress a stark truth: The Amazon isn’t just threatened by bulldozers or poachers, but by a system that often works against its defenders. It’s the grassroots activism—ordinary people banding together—that stands as one of the only real barriers against illegal activity and destruction. Listening to these stories, you see how the fight to save the Amazon unfolds not in headlines, but in villages, rivers, and dense jungle—where every day can become a struggle for survival.

This isn’t just about two men going missing. It’s a reminder that behind every patch of protected forest are people who refuse to give up, whatever the cost.