“We place our hope in the land”: defense of the territory against mining in Ixtacamaxtitlán, Puebla

Abstract

Mexico occupies first place in mining exploration in Latin America, a situation that has caused alarm among native peoples because the implementation of extractive projects threatens their vital space. The objective of this paper is to analyze the actions of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the Ixtaca Project in Ixtacamaxtitlán, Puebla, as well as the strategies of territorial defense undertaken by the communities to stop its expansion. Data was gathered through one survey, one workshop and various interviews conducted in three communities affected by the project. Results discuss three actions of CSR: 1) job offers; 2) investment in community infrastructure; 3) support for social events. Three main defense strategies were identified: 1) collective agreements refusing to sell water to the company; 2) legal litigations in favor of the right to be consulted as native peoples; 3) the strengthening of peasant agriculture thanks to the defense of the ejido, the conservation of irrigation water and the support received from the federal program Sembrando Vida. The paper concludes that, despite the negative impacts of RCS actions, these strategies have proven effective because mining concessions have been cancelled and some families have returned to agriculture.