Raimundo Mendes de Barros, widely known as 'Raimundão', is an 81-year-old environmental activist in Brazil who has been hospitalized due to pneumonia, marking his second hospital stay in a short period following a previous lung infection. He was transferred from Xapuri, a small town in the state of Acre, to the Pronto-Socorro in Rio Branco. His medical history includes Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which he has developed over years of exposure to smoke from rubber production and cigarette use.

The news has stirred concern among the local community and his family, with his daughter Ronaira Barros sharing that he was admitted to the hospital on Monday with severe flu symptoms, which led to the pneumonia diagnosis. The family's announcement included a video depicting Raimundão’s difficult transition to the hospital, which has raised awareness of his health struggles and the challenges that many environmental activists face due to their work in hazardous conditions.

Raimundão is known not only as a cousin of the legendary activist Chico Mendes but also for his own contributions to environmental causes in the Amazon. His illness highlights the ongoing impact of environmental work on health, especially in communities like Xapuri that are deeply intertwined with both the natural world and economic activities such as rubber tapping. The community, known for its rich biodiversity, now faces the dual challenge of preserving its environment while attending to the health and well-being of its advocates like Raimundão.