Systemic Lack of Freedom in La Oroya: The Socio-historical Roots and the Political-Economic Background

Abstract

This chapter begins the implementation of the HRSAM by fostering historical and political awareness about the case. It illustrates the extent to which the La Oroya community has been trapped in a vicious cycle of injustices since its constitution as a smelter town as a result of the establishment of capitalistic large-scale mining development in Central Andes, Peru. It identifies the most dramatic consequences of the La Oroya socio-economic transformation, most notably in terms of a long-lasting history of pollution, the rise and fall of a proletarian class, and the beginning of a cycle of economic dependency. This historical appraisal also sheds light on the strategic importance the mining industry has gained in Peru at the macro politico-economic level.