Isabel Zuleta

Isabel Cristina Zuleta López (b. April 12, 1982, Ituango, Colombia) is a Colombian activist, environmental advocate, and politician. An outspoken defender of environmental, women's, and human rights, she is recognized for her leadership in grassroots movements resisting extractivist megaprojects and defending the rights of marginalized communities. Zuleta served as director and legal representative of the Movimiento Ríos Vivos (Living Rivers Movement) in Colombia, and is also a member of the Movimiento por el Agua y la Vida (Movement for Water and Life), both of which have played a crucial role in opposing the social and ecological impacts of large-scale development projects. As a social leader, she has peacefully denounced and demanded the restitution of "rights that have been stripped away" by development projects such as Hidroituango, advocating for justice through nonviolent resistance and community empowerment. In 2022, she was elected to the Colombian Senate as part of the Pacto Histórico (Historic Pact) coalition, representing the Colombia Humana party. In Congress, she has continued to champion legislative initiatives focused on environmental protection, gender equity, and the defense of collective rights.