Illegal Mining and Environmental Governance in Buenos Aires (Imbabura, Ecuador): Rights Violations

Abstract

This article analyzes the socio-environmental and institutional impacts of illegal mining in the parish of Buenos Aires (Imbabura), in order to identify how this activity violates the rights of Buen Vivir and the rights of nature, as well as the governance challenges it poses. The study adopts a qualitative explanatory approach, based on surveys of 80 residents and semi-structured interviews with a former miner and an environmental professional. The results show a predominantly negative perception of illegal mining, associated with ecological degradation, violence, and institutional weakness. They also reveal an ambivalent community relationship with mining, recognized for its economic potential but questioned due to its effects on sustainability and local life. The article concludes that this case reflects a gap between the constitutional recognition of rights and their effective territorial enforcement, highlighting structural shortcomings in environmental governance and the need to strengthen state capacity and community participation.