The essay discusses deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, focusing on the crimes and damages associated with it. Large landholders and their henchmen commit violence against forest inhabitants, leading to the disappearance of communities and traditional lifestyles. The essay looks at why there is so much deforestation-related crime and violence in the Amazon, and how it has become a political issue. The drought in southern Brazil in 2014 and 2015 has influenced the debate on deforestation and development in Brazil.