Question

I heard about some rivers being sold in Latin America. How can common property be sold?

Answer 1

A river may be a common property resource for local communities, but governments or private corporations can attempt to privatise its water, banks or management rights through laws, contracts or concessions. This does not mean that nature itself has literally been sold; rather, control over access, distribution and use has been transferred. Such privatisation can deny communities their traditional rights and often leads to protests.