News

State has until October 20 to respond to forestry contractors' lawsuit

Sponsors

On October 5, the 2nd Civil Court of Concepción accepted the lawsuit filed by forestry contractors. The legal action brought by 45 companies was declared admissible and is now being processed in Santiago. The court granted the State a 15-day deadline to respond to the accusation.

According to René Muñoz, the contractors' manager, this lawsuit seeks to hold the State accountable "to pay the plaintiffs the full amount of damages—both material (actual damages and lost profits) and moral—caused by the lack of service during the period from 2018 onward."

Forestry contractors' balance sheet

"The complete overview from January 1, 2014, to September 30, 2022, is as follows: 409 attacks; 1,473 mobile equipment and forestry trucks destroyed; four workers murdered; 50 workers injured; 38,000 workers and their families physically and psychologically assaulted one or more times; 50 out of 107 municipalities in the four regions without peace; and material losses exceeding 167 billion pesos," detailed Muñoz.

"As a trade association, we believe the time has come for the State to answer for what it failed to do or chose not to do and to take responsibility for the damages caused. The State failed in its constitutional and legal obligation to ensure Public Order and Internal Security," he added.

When asked about this lawsuit, the Presidential Delegate of Biobío, Daniela Dresdner, stated that they have been working on this issue since taking office to guarantee security in the Southern Macrozone.

"We have also been working in communication with the various forestry contractors. We have developed plans and will continue to make progress. We know there are needs, we know there is a problem in the conflict zone, and we are addressing it with all the tools provided by the Rule of Law—even creating new tools like the Timber Theft Law," explained Delegate Dresdner.

Source: www.sabes.cl