During 1980’s Peru had to face many problems related to uncontrolled emissions of the metal mining sector.
There were conflicting regulations and a lack of regulation compliance. Because of this situation, from 1990-1997
many regulations and laws were made in Peru in order to create institutions in charge of the recognition, protection
and conservation of cultural heritage and natural resources [11]. Most of them were general except for the Ley
Orgánica para el Aprovechamiento Sostenible de los Recursos Naturales 1997 (Organic Law for Sustainably Taking
Advantage of the Natural Resources). This law’s objectives were to promote and regulate the sustainable use of
renewable and non-renewable natural resources by establishing a correct frame for investment promotion while
procuring a dynamic balance between the economic growth, the conservation of the natural resources, the
environment and the integral development of the people [12]. The two periods of the Alberto Fujimori government
focused on opening Peru to foreign investment, promoting more industrial development and private participation. In
fact, the last law explicitly mentions the goal of investment promotion.During this period the Peruvian economy
increased considerably and since 1992, the mining industry has attracted more than USD 10,000 million in foreign
and domestic investment representing almost 50% of total exports between 1990 and 2005 [13]. However, not all
the national sectors were satisfied with this growth. Leaders and representatives of local people who live
downstream from metal mines protested claiming that the mines’ impact to the water and air were above the
maximum level of pollution permitted