Chile: Boric arrives in the Mapuche conflict zone on his government’s first visit

the president of Chili, Gabriel Boricbegan this Thursday a two-day visit to the region of the Araucaniaa rich forest area in the south of the country that is experiencing a conflict with groups of the Mapuche people, eight months after being sworn in.

“We started #GiraLaAraucanía to strengthen interministerial work based on the priorities of our Government in the region, with the focus on people and their safety,” wrote the leftist president on his Twitter account, accompanied by a photo getting off the plane in Temuco, 680 km south of Santiago.

MORE INFORMATION | Chilean police investigate possible hate crime against trans woman found dead

the visit of borik was confirmed late on Wednesday for security reasons and preceded by a series of attacks with fires of cabins, a school and a church, in addition to roadblocks in rural areas.

The Arauco Malleco Coordinator (CAM), one of the main radical Mapuche organizations that has claimed responsibility for forest fire attacks, issued a statement on Wednesday rejecting the president’s first trip to the area: “Boric out of Wallmapu”he warned.

“His trip to Wallmapu (Mapuche nation, in Mapudungun) obeys the interests of the oligarchy, the power of the economic groups that directly confront the Mapuche cause, every time that under his government the structures of domination that we have historically fought against have become more acute”indicated the CAM statement.

REVIEW HERE | Pension reform project in Chile: six keys and some doubts about its sustainability

The president’s agenda includes meetings with local authorities and with victims of violence, together with the interior ministers, Carolina Tohá; of Public Works, Juan Carlos García, and with the minister in charge of relations between the Executive and Congress, Ana Lya Uriarte.

In an unprecedented escalation of violence, and with recent arrests of police officers linked to arms trafficking and theft of wood from the rich forestry industry, there are areas in Araucanía where radicalized indigenous leaders They do not allow anyone to enter.

This was the case in Temucuicui, a rural town where the then Minister of the Interior was going, Izkia Siches, two days after the inauguration in March of the president borikwhen his entourage was intimidated with bullets in the air.

KNOW MORE | Chile: ALMA, the most powerful radio telescope in the world, suspends operations after cyber attack

In October 2021, the then Conservative president Sebastian Pinera had decreed the militarization of that region.

The current president put an end to the measure two weeks after taking office, on March 11, however, in the midst of new attacks, he ordered military deployment in April to support the police in guarding routes where attacks are frequent. attacks on trucks or private property.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.