Relations Between the State, Companies and Indigenous Communities in the Case of Lithium Exploitation in the Argentine Puna

Abstract

The aim of this study is to illustrate the relationships between the State, businesses, and indigenous communities in extractive projects within communal territories, using the Salar de Olaroz as a case study. The central argument is that, in cases where indigenous communities accept natural resource extraction projects, there is a lack of clear protocols from provincial authorities to ensure the constitutional rights of these communities. The study period covers the years 2009 to 2019, employing a methodological strategy of a case study. The empirical basis of this work consists of 30 in-depth interviews conducted between 2016 and 2019, as well as observations and document analysis. With this study, we aim to contribute to the debate on the importance of ensuring the rights of indigenous communities in the context of extractive projects and advocate for the implementation of clear protocols by provincial executives to ensure the respect for these constitutional rights.