Socio-environmental Conflicts in Latin America: a Comparative Analysis of the Extractivist Policies in Mexico and Ecuador

The extractive and neo-extractive economic development policies, based on the intensive exploitation of natural resources for export, implemented in Mexico and Ecuador during the last decades have transformed the geography of these countries by defining new areas for the extraction of raw materials, which are exploited according to the needs of the world market. As a consequence of the extractive activities there has been an increase in environmental degradation and conflicts over the use, control and access of natural resources have led to the emergence of a large number of socio-environmental conflicts. In this context, the following research presents case studies of the construction of an open-pit mine Condor-Mirador, in Ecuador, and the development of the wind corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, projects derived from the Ecuadorian Mining Law and the Mexican Energy Reform, respectively, to account for the relationship between the development and implementation of extractive and neo-extractive policies, with the emergence of socio-environmental conflicts that have resulted in the systematic violation of human and environmental rights of various indigenous and rural communities in both countries. Key words: Ecuador, Mexico, extractivism, neo-extractivism, socio-environmental conflicts, human rights.