From denouncing dry streams to a river of resistance: the role of law in contesting hydropower in the La Miel River, Colombia

Abstract

Legal mobilization is central to grassroots strategies for river defense in contexts of water extractivism and armed conflict. This article analyses a peasant movement resisting hydropower development on the La Miel River in Eastern Caldas, Colombia. We argue that the law has been crucial for articulating demands, strengthening collective identity, and building a broader movement for territorial autonomy. We propose the concept of ‘pluri-legal mobilization strategy’ to describe how this movement challenges and aligns with state legal frameworks, using existing laws and creating its grassroots norms. This counter-hegemonic use of the law transforms grassroots legal mobilization into a counterpower.