Jhonn Gonzales etches the attack plan into the dirt. His lookout gives a nod from behind binoculars, and the troop fans out silently across the parched plains. For years, sale of the unprocessed fur has slightly boosted the standard of living in impoverished Bolivian villages. But these communities are frustrated that intermediaries and first-world clothing manufacturers keep the bulk of the profit.
Industrialization is a common call throughout Latin America , as the region has perpetually sold off its natural resources to foreigners who profit greatly by turning the raw materials into a usable form. But progress has been slow, and it turns out that adding value is sometimes harder than it sounds, even when the process is as simple as weaving fiber into a scarf.
In order to save the population, the governments of Argentina, Peru, Chile and Bolivia designed a modern version of the Incan practice. When highlanders realized they could profit annually by keeping the animals alive, the species rebounded from less than 10, in to over , today. But the slightest mistake β too much noise or gaps in the human line that pushes the animal toward the nets β means failure.
Ramirez and 50 others spent the entire day preparing, but their targeted pack had been spooked early on, and the villagers returned empty-handed.
Nor are the gains particularly high. Argentina and Chile contribute a few hundred kilograms annually. As would be getting more bang for their buck. And they have been promised as much. The problem, however, is not only unfulfilled promises but also false hope, some say. He should know: for the past two years, Nuevo Norte tried. But it might do the trick β once she and the others realize that even this small step could bring them more money than their current dreams of riches.
