The settlement benefits 1,373 people who have been affected since childhood by exposure to toxic metals from the La Oroya metallurgical complex. Cardinal Pedro Barreto, who stood with the community in their struggle for nearly two decades, emphasized that the financial compensation represents an important step, although it cannot fully make up for the damage caused.
Peruvian Cardinal Pedro Barreto, SJ, former president of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA), described the $150 million out-of-court settlement reached in the United States to compensate 1,373 people from La Oroya, in the Peruvian Andes, who have been affected since childhood by pollution generated by the metallurgical complex operated by Doe Run.
The settlement, reached after nearly two decades of litigation, brings an end to one of the longest-running civil lawsuits against a multinational corporation for damages related to environmental pollution and exposure to toxic substances in another country.
“This is a historic milestone,” Cardinal Barreto said in remarks reported by The Guardian. However, he cautioned that financial compensation alone does not resolve the consequences that many of the affected people continue to face, especially those who suffered neurological damage during childhood.
“The money will not make up for the harm they have suffered, but it is a sign that justice has been served,” he stated.
A Struggle for Life and Dignity
The story of La Oroya has been a constant presence in Cardinal Barreto’s pastoral ministry for years. When he became archbishop of Huancayo in 2004, he began working closely with the communities affected by pollution from the metallurgical complex.
Various studies conducted during those years documented high levels of lead in the blood of local children, as well as exposure to other pollutants such as arsenic, cadmium, and sulfur dioxide.
The situation made La Oroya one of the most emblematic cases of environmental pollution and its impact on the health of vulnerable populations in Latin America.
Standing up for the people also came at a personal cost to the then-Archbishop of Huancayo. During the years he spent supporting the communities, Barreto received death threats and suffered various forms of harassment related to his stance on the environmental and health impacts of metallurgical activity.
“It was an irrefutable fact that I was threatened in various ways,” recalled the cardinal, who, however, avoided placing the spotlight on his own experience and pointed out that those who deserve recognition are the communities that have endured the consequences of pollution for years.
“We have had to endure only a small fraction of the immense suffering they constantly face,” he said.
Justice That Puts Victims at the Center
The legal proceedings began in 2007 with a lawsuit filed on behalf of 17 Peruvian children and later came to involve more than 1,373 plaintiffs, many of them young adults who had suffered the consequences of exposure to heavy metals during their childhood.
The settlement provides for compensation that could amount to at least $100,000 for each of the plaintiffs, according to information published about the case.
Doe Run Resources Corporation did not admit liability or wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
Beyond the financial aspect, the case sets a significant precedent for communities affected by transnational business activities and for the discussion on corporate responsibility regarding the social, environmental, and health impacts of their operations.
A Church That Stands With the People’s Cry
The experience in La Oroya illustrates one of the fundamental dimensions of the Church’s commitment in these regions: listening to the cry of communities, standing with those who suffer, and defending the dignity of every person and of our Common Home.
Cardinal Pedro Barreto’s pastoral journey has been deeply rooted in this perspective. His service in the Peruvian Church and his participation in ecclesial processes in the Amazon have been marked by the defense of life, socio-environmental justice, and the rights of communities facing situations of vulnerability.
For CEAMA, this event also invites us to take a fresh look at the challenges faced by the peoples of the Amazon and other regions of Latin America in the face of economic models that can have serious impacts on health, territories, and communities.
The case of La Oroya serves as a reminder that environmental justice cannot be separated from social justice, and that behind every statistic there are faces, families, stories, and generations who deserve to be heard and compensated.
The agreement reached after 19 years of struggle thus represents a significant step forward for those affected. However, as Cardinal Barreto has pointed out, true justice also requires preventing future generations from suffering irreversible harm due to pollution and ensuring that economic development is never built at the expense of people’s lives and dignity.
Defending our Common Home is also defending those who inhabit it. And listening to the cry of the people remains an indispensable path toward building a more just, compassionate, and fraternal society.