Chile: Radical Mapuche are credited with setting fire to cars and vehicles in terrorist attacks in the south of the country

At least 20 cars and vehicles were burned on Tuesday in two attacks in the south Chilewhere for decades there has been a bitter territorial conflict between the state, the Mapuche indigenous people and large foresters.

The first occurred at a site in the commune of Arauco, in Biobio region (630 km south of the capital), where a dozen hooded men set fire to about 15 cars, local media reported.

took responsibility for the attack Weichang Auka Mapu (WAM), a radical Mapuche autonomist organization claiming sabotage against large logging companies in the south.

In the commune of Angol in the La Araucania region (800 km south of Santiago), a second attack occurred when another group of hooded men set fire to at least six cars and four trucks.

According to the local press, the farm where the attack took place belongs to Enel, which is building a wind farm there.

In various regions of the south. Chile For decades, there has been the so-called “Mapuche conflict”, in which state and agricultural and forestry companies of large economic groups are confronted by some indigenous communities of this ethnic group, which constitute the majority in the country, who claim land on which they have lived for centuries.

Violence in Chile

In the past year, the dispute has seen an escalation in violence with frequent burning of cars and property, fatal shootings and hunger strikes by indigenous prisoners.

The Chilean Parliament approved last week an extension for another fifteen days of the state of emergency that governs araucania and biobio and this allows the use of the armed forces to control public order.

Despite promising for months that he would not do it, the current president, a progressive Gabriel Boric, issued a decree on this measure in May, which was in effect for several months during the mandate of his predecessor, Sebastian Piñera. (EFE)