The fifth episode of the series opens with beautiful drone shots of the Yasuni National Park thought to be the jewel in Ecuador’s Amazon. Over the years we see how the rainforest was subjugated to agricultural extraction of bananas and coffee. Exceptionally rich in biodiversity, its surrounding subtropical rainforest with endangered species of vascular plants and typical wildlife of the region: tapirs, giant anteaters, howler monkeys, ocelots, jaguars and caymans. In the midst of all these sights and sounds, the focus narrows to main character’s, Rafaela Moura approaching the Achuar member of the Pachamama Alliance who explain they have partnered with 30 indigenous nationalities in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador. 

We watch as Rafaela interview historian of Ecuador, David Robbins (pending confirmation) describe the “Tale of Martydom and Redemption in the Amazonian Ecuador.  Rafaela Moura  continues to explore the western Amazon and encounters a sedimentary history of the Amazon basin. Together with her guide, Rafaela looks down at the 9500 km of roads that now crisscross the Ecuadorian Amazon.

They realize how vast the Amazonian area of Ecuador is covering close to 50% of the national territory comprised of the Siona, Secoya, Cofan, Shuar Zaparo, Huaorani and Kichwa, among many others who have managed to preserve their cultures. Rafaela sits down with on of the key tribal leader. Here, in secret he tells us of the oil development and tragedies that his village and his people have undergone since the inception of Federally protects their land. Rafaela asks about the ethno-historical information documents that she pulls out which also references Ecuador’s top court’s ruling in favor of the Cofan indigenous group as they risk everything to defend their land. The main point is that Ecuador continues to expand oil on indigenous land and villages’ lands are jeopardized, their water and food supplies muddied, and their culture is at risk of being lost forever. 

The program then drops back to Rafaela holding a chocolate while explaining the surprising history of chocolate that began in Southern Ecuador. The happy moment is short lived as scenes of  the three ruptured pipelines turned the Napo and Coca River dark with pollutants which drove these tribes from their homes creating a ‘triple pandemic’ affect.    

Rafaela starts, in the village by interviewing a local leader. The two discuss the ‘triple pandemic’ and the environmental crisis that’s facing the BIPOC indigenous population of Ecuador. The local leader gives half-hearted and canned answers, which leads Rafaela to dig deeper, to find the truth. 

At a local gathering place, Rafaela meets with a leading Latin American History scholar who tells Rafaela about the  Huaorani of Amazonian Ecuador. She begins discovering atrocities after atrocities, several hundred every month, well in excess of normal quotas, and clearly in violation of human rights and Federal rules.

The Amazon. Verite of Rafaela with the villagers, enjoying their unique culture. As Rafaela’s voiceover tells us how special, and unique these communities are. Set against the the 9500 km of roads, and the trauma the rupture of the pipeline brought with its construction to the river dwellers. We hear Rafaela’s hopes for the future and her most important takeaways. Being that the history of the Amazon is a metaphor for how we are failing the Amazon at every Latin American country that shares the Amazon, a cycle none of the Latin American countries have been able to break.