Máxima Acuña: un liderazgo femenino, indígena y comunitario frente al extractivismo minero

The theme developed in this chapter focuses on the struggle of Máxima Acuña, an indigenous leader from Peru, against territorial dispossession, and the role of the Peruvian government as an administrator of public assets. Acuña is a prominent socio-environmental defender in the Americas, having achieved what entire populations have not: halting territorial dispossession by a transnational corporation—Minera Yanacocha—concerning land intended for the Conga mine project in Cajamarca, Peru. Her struggle is exemplary due to the decision to seek transnational justice after exhausting domestic remedies in Peru. This path enabled the creation of an extensive network of international solidarity and collaboration, which proved fundamental in stopping the extractivist project. The case of Máxima Acuña is a successful instance of defending territory and communal assets, gaining relevance through community unity, local support from civil organizations, and law firms. It illustrates indigenous peoples' resistance against dispossession and popular defiance. Her family endured raids, crop destruction (potatoes and vegetables), and the theft of livestock, which violated their civil and social rights, including the right to an adequate standard of living, food, health, a healthy environment, water, and dignified housing. Her struggle has become an international symbol of "David versus Goliath", highlighting the power asymmetries between an Andean peasant woman and a corporate giant.