By James McKeigue
MoneyWeek
For centuries, tales of Peruvian gold have enticed European investors. In the 16th century, reports of the wealth in the then Inca Empire lured Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro to what is now modern-day Peru.
His first two attempts failed, but eventually the persistent Pizarro managed to establish a toehold in the country. Like modern-day international investors, Pizarro was keen to profit from the country’s natural resources — albeit through slightly different means.
First, he captured the Inca emperor, Atahualpa, and demanded a roomful of gold as a ransom. Then, once he had received the gold, he killed the emperor anyway — the first of many treacherous deals that would make local people wary of foreigners that come to exploit the country’s natural resources.