Adán Vez Lira was an environmental defender and longtime supporter and organiser at the La Manchaecological reserve on the sparsely populated stretch of coast north of the state capital. He was an open opponent of open pit mining in the region of Veracruz, Mexico, including mining projects owned by Canadian companies Almaden Minerals and Candelaria Mining. On 8th April, 2020 he was shot as he rode on his motorbike in Actopan, Veracruz. He is the third environmental defender killed in 2020 in Mexico.