Mapuche group claims responsibility for recent incident in Chilean Araucanía

The Mapuche Malleco Resistance group has claimed responsibility for a recent fire-related incident in Chile’s Araucanía region.

The group reportedly left a sign at the scene, where a school was set ablaze and an attempted arson at a nearby Catholic church.

The incident took place in Curacautín, and despite the efforts of firefighters, the aforementioned school was severely damaged.

However, the fire at the San Francisco chapel nearby was successfully extinguished.

Prior to this incident, another occurrence was reported at an evangelical church in Ercilla, within the same region.

This situation escalated into a firefight between unidentified individuals and the military police.

A nearby house and vehicle were also impacted by the flames.

The police reportedly found a message at the site, hinting at the long-standing Mapuche conflict, as indicated by the Malleco prefecture.

These events come a week after the Chilean Senate approved an extension of the state of emergency in the southern part of the country.

This move, requested by President Gabriel Boric in May 2022, addresses the ongoing unrest in the Araucanía and Biobío regions.

For years, the Araucanía and Biobío regions in southern Chile have experienced incidents involving arson and armed confrontations targeting forestry businesses, sand companies, and places of worship.

These violent events are often linked to the longstanding territorial claims of indigenous groups, especially the Mapuche community.