Brooklyn Rivera was an indigenous leader in Nicaragua. He spent years fighting for indigenous rights before his arrest.

He died in prison at age 73. The Nicaraguan government arrested him in September 2023 on terrorism charges.

He was held for nearly three years. The government said he died from a bacterial infection after getting COVID-19.

It said this caused his body and brain to weaken. But rights groups condemned his death and disputed that explanation.

The government had withheld information about his health for nearly three years. It published hospital photos on May 27, 2026.

The head of the OAS asked for an independent investigation into his death. Rivera is reported to be the seventh political prisoner to die in Nicaraguan state custody. Rights groups had long criticized his imprisonment.