Hydroelectric expantion, State and peasant economies: the case study of the Quimbo dam, Huila-Colombia

Abstract

In this paper we research about the situation in the hydroelectric sector in Latin-American, the principal arguments that have the different actors for the implementation of big infrastructure projects and how the local economies are affected.

First we worked about how the principals expansion ´s initiatives in the hydroelectric sector are organized in Latin American, represented in the companies and government actions. Later, the study is delimited in the Colombian State action that promotes the expansion, at the same time that explores one important mechanism inside the State: the environmental license, that reflects disputes related with these projects. Third, we worked with the hydroelectric project Quimbo case, located in Huila-Colombia, this is one transnational private ´s initiative (company ENDESA-ENEL) support by the national government. In this case we show how the State have made decisions product of forced relations and have created changes in the peasant population that live in that region.

The study is based on a qualitative methodology (Sigaud, 1992, 1995, Vianna, 2009 and Borralho, 1988), with bibliographic and press review related with the hydroelectric expansion in Latin America, afterwards we work about the Colombian context we restore with official documents the expansion in the sector and approach about the environmental license, the principal mechanism to install these projects in this country. Last one, in the Quimbo dam case, we worked about his context based on press material, organizations material (Emgesa company and the social movements) and interviews with peasants stricken by that project.

The research study shows the outlook of the hydroelectric expansion and the consensus about the implementation of those big projects by the different governments and the private sector. These interest are implemented by the State references where is important the environmental license, that decree the implementation of that projects. In the last part is showed how with one hydroelectric case, how the State decisions create changes in the local population, who reacts with social protest and non-conformism front the failure of their social life.