Title: Indigenous and Civil Resistance in Peru: Mining Conflicts, Corporate Counterinsurgency
Author/Institution: Michael S. Wilson Becerril – University of California, Santa Cruz
Publication Year: 2021
From Protest to Resistance
The study documents how Indigenous and rural communities in Peru have mobilized in response to the rapid expansion of large-scale mining. Resistance often begins as localized protest against environmental damage, displacement, or broken promises but evolves into broader forms of civil resistance. The author shows how grievances over water access, land rights, and social exclusion push communities to organize beyond single events, forming sustained networks of opposition that challenge the legitimacy of state and corporate actors.
Corporate Counterinsurgency Tactics
A key contribution of the research is its analysis of corporate counterinsurgency strategies. Mining companies in Peru, often in collaboration with state security forces, have adopted military-style tactics to contain or delegitimize community mobilization. This includes surveillance, infiltration, and the framing of protesters as security threats rather than legitimate stakeholders. Such approaches deepen mistrust and escalate conflict, undermining prospects for peaceful dialogue or negotiated solutions.
Implications for Social License
The findings underscore that mining conflicts in Peru are not only about resources but also about power, legitimacy, and rights. Attempts to silence or criminalize resistance erode the social license to operate and carry significant risks for both companies and the state. The study concludes that sustainable conflict management must prioritize respect for Indigenous rights, recognition of civil society voices, and genuine engagement—rather than coercion—if mining is to coexist with democratic governance and community well-being.