Ritual Killings and Mining in the Andes

RITUAL KILLINGS IN THE ANDES: WHEN MINING AND ANCIENT BELIEFS COLLIDE

by Jairo Saldana

In the highlands of Peru and Bolivia, mining is more than an economic activity - it is also deeply intertwined with centuries-old traditions honouring the earth. These traditions, rooted in the Andean belief system, usually involve symbolic offerings of coca leaves, alcohol, or animal sacrifices. But in rare and disturbing instances, violent crimes have been framed as “payments to the earth” (pago a la tierra), sparking public outrage and legal investigations.

From 2015 to 2025, a series of cases - some confirmed, others still under investigation - have brought this troubling intersection between cultural belief and violent crime into the spotlight.

A TRADITION OF GIVING BACK TO THE EARTH

In Andean cosmology, the earth (Pachamama) is a living entity that provides resources in exchange for respect and offerings. For miners, particularly in informal operations, this reciprocity is often directed toward the Tío, a mine deity believed to guard against accidents and grant good fortune underground. Offerings are usually harmless - alcohol poured on the ground, coca leaves burned or buried, or the sacrifice of a sheep.

But in isolated reports, witnesses and suspects have claimed that human lives were taken to secure prosperity or protection for mining ventures. While some of these accounts are rooted in rumour, others have been supported by confessions or partial forensic evidence.

FROM RITUAL TO COURTROOM: NOTABLE CASES

*Carabaya, Peru – 2015 In the mining province of Carabaya, ronderos - local peasant patrols - detained a man named Jesús Chura for killing and dismembering his wife. Investigators later linked him and his associates to multiple murders. In court, Chura testified that the foetus of his pregnant wife was sold for a “payment to the earth” in a local mine.

*Tata Sabaya, Bolivia – 2018–2019 At the base of the Tata Sabaya volcano, a shepherd in 2018 found the body of a newborn placed on coca leaves, arranged with stones, and smelling of alcohol. A forensic report concluded the baby was premature and had not been killed. The following year, prosecutors rescued a child with Down’s syndrome in the same area, alleging he was intended for sacrifice.

*Puno, Peru – 2020s At nearly 4,900 metres above sea level, in El Abra de Oquepuño, police found the body of a young mother, Yeni Málaga Choquehuanca, inside an abandoned chapel surrounded by ritual objects. While her family suspected ritual motives, the case remains unresolved.

*La Libertad, Peru – 2025 In Ollón, the family of 107-year-old Martín Narcizo Cruz alleged he was killed for a mining ritual. Witnesses said his body was hidden in a sack of minerals and taken to a gold-processing plant. A suspect detained by local patrols allegedly gave details of the killing; the investigation is ongoing.

MINES, SMUGGLING, AND THE HIGH PRICE OF FORTUNE

The notion of "pagar a la tierra" is not confined to mining. In some narratives from smuggling routes and contraband hubs, human sacrifice is portrayed as a test of loyalty or proof of commitment. Whether these claims reflect actual events or serve as cautionary tales is difficult to determine - but they persist.

For law enforcement, the challenge lies in separating belief from evidence. A violent death framed as a ritual could just as easily be a murder dressed in cultural language to obscure its true motive.

AN ONGOING CHALLENGE FOR JUSTICE

Each year, hundreds of missing persons are reported in these highland regions. Most are located quickly - some return after disputes or temporary absences - but a small number are found dead. In remote areas, where forensic facilities are scarce, determining whether a killing is linked to ritual practice, domestic violence, or another cause is a complex task.

BETWEEN CULTURE AND CRIME

Anthropologists caution against equating all ritual language with actual ritual acts. Many Andean communities maintain peaceful traditions that coexist with modern life. However, when criminal violence adopts the guise of tradition, it places both cultural heritage and human safety at risk.

The Andes remain a place where the old and new worlds meet - and sometimes clash. As long as artisanal mining thrives in regions beyond the full reach of the state, allegations of ritual killings will continue to surface, suspended between myth, memory, and the stark realities of violence.