Máxima Acuña, born in 1970 in the Cajamarca region of Peru, is a farmer and human rights defender who has become an icon of resistance against destructive mining projects. Her relentless struggle to protect her land from the multinational Yanacocha, which sought to develop a gold mine on her property, has made her a symbol of courage and resilience in Latin America. Máxima Acuña embodies the fight for environmental protection and the rights of rural Peruvian communities.
In the 2000s, Máxima Acuña, a humble farmer living in the Andean mountains, saw her life disrupted by the ambitions of the mining company Yanacocha. The company sought to expand its gold extraction operations in the region, including the land that Máxima and her family had lived on for decades. Refusing to leave her ancestral home, she engaged in a long legal battle against the company, facing threats, intimidation, and physical aggression.
Beyond her legal battle to protect her land, Máxima Acuña has become a voice for environmental defense in Peru. Her land, located in an ecologically sensitive area, is threatened by mining, which risks contaminating water resources and destroying local biodiversity. Her commitment to nature protection has gained her international support and highlighted the environmental impacts of mining projects.
In 2016, Máxima Acuña received the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize for the environment." This award marked the recognition of her heroic fight against powerful economic interests that threatened her community. Her struggle has inspired many other communities in Peru and Latin America to stand up for their rights against extractive industries.
Despite numerous attempts to evict Máxima Acuña and her family from their land, she has resisted with unwavering determination. Her fight has made her an emblematic figure in the movement against illegal and destructive mining. For many, she represents the strength of Peruvian peasantry and the right of indigenous peoples to live in harmony with their environment.
Máxima Acuña's fight continues to inspire environmental and human rights movements in Peru and beyond. Her struggle exemplifies how an ordinary person can stand up to powerful economic forces while defending core principles of justice, respect for nature, and the protection of indigenous rights.