Abstract

Ricardo Cifuentes Villarroel argues that the main source of environmental conflicts in Latin America come from large-scale projects carried out by transnational corporations and that plunder natural resources. The conditions to develop such projects imply weak environmental regulations, preferential tax regimes, cheap and legally unprotected labour. Focused on earnings, they destroy the environment and the living conditions of numerous communities. The process is coordinated and supported through international economic organizations with the connivance of political elites acting as facilitators and participants.