Misappropriation of the Mapuche cause

Mr. Director,

The recent arrest of a group of criminals in Arauco in the Bío Bío Region of Chile constitutes a major achievement of the responsible authorities and adds to the range of measures that have helped reduce the number of attacks in the area.

Although the participation of a Chilean police officer in these crimes is unfortunate, it should not tarnish the hard role played in the area by Chile’s Police Force overall as well as the Chilean Armed Forces, the Chilean Investigative Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Chile.

As we have warned on several occasions, the available records of the detainees show the existence of groups using the Mapuche cause of the indigenous people seeking the recovery of ancestral lands, economic-productive freedom and the recognition of a cultural identity for its own criminal purposes, which is vastly different from the true interests and concerns of the native communities.

The problem of violence continues, as shown by the recent attacks, so we need to maintain this shared appraisal and consensus, which will help us further the cause of condemning violence, protecting victims and prosecuting crimes.