Desterradas del río. Hidroituango y la destrucción del cuerpo-territorio por megaproyectos. Entre el interés general y el sostenimiento de la vida

Abstract

Through the case of the Hidroituango hydroelectric plant in Colombia, this article proposes that the implementation of megaprojects constitutes a proprietary device in which the expulsion of populations, damage to ecosystems, and deepening inequality converge. These three factors lead to the destruction of the body-territory from the capture of life forms to accumulate capital. Based on the Narrative Productions methodology and a process of co-theorization between the knowledge produced by the Ríos Vivos Movement, the narrative of the social leader Isabel Cristina Zuleta and interdisciplinary scientific research, we conclude that the struggles for permanence in the territory turn into struggles against the worst future scenarios of climate change, deterioration of the planet and the social and economic conditions of diverse communities. Based on these arguments, the general interest justification for the construction of mega-hydroelectric plants runs out of a solid foundation.