Between rights and expropriation. A case study about land restitution process in the semi-arid region of the Argentine Gran Chaco

Socio-environmental conflicts are one of the most important issues in contemporary Latin American contexts, due to competitiveness in getting control over thr natural re- sources (mainly lands, waters and forests) which are found in far-reaching regions in- habited mostly by indigenous people and peasants (campesinos). One of those regions is the semi-arid terrain known as the Gran Chaco, the largest Latin American forest area after the Amazon. It is the biggest woodland area in Argentina and the most affected by policies irrationally exploiting the environmental heritage and natural resources. The sustainable management of the area is crucial for the maintenance of food security and biodiversity conservation at a global level (UNEP 2000), thus exposing local populations to global challenges.