ABSTRACT
The commodification of indigenous territories can be framed as an unintended consequence of the implementation of the right to prior consultation or as an opportunity for indigenous peoples to escape poverty. This chapter explores the connection between prior consultation procedures and indigenous access to extractive revenues. As argued throughout this book, the application of prior consultation is not useful to deter extractive projects, yet these procedures are not completely useless to indigenous communities. By examining five indigenous municipalities across Bolivia, Peru and Mexico, the chapter shows that some indigenous groups negotiate significant economic compensation in exchange for allowing extraction. In this context, prior consultation serves as a negotiation platform for indigenous leaders to present some of their economic demands.
