Sponsors
Hooded individuals burn company van in Tirúa: driver ambushed and threatened
On Monday morning, the first arson attack recorded after the end of the State of Exception in the province of Arauco, Bío Bío region, took place. An armed group ambushed a forestry van, intimidating its driver before proceeding to set the vehicle on fire. A banner referencing the organization Weichan Auka Mapu was found at the scene.
A van belonging to a forestry company was burned by hooded individuals in the commune of Tirúa, in the Bío Bío region.
This occurred in the Pilico sector, near kilometer 17 of Route P-72, close to the southern border with the La Araucanía region.
According to Radio Bío Bío, around 06:00 hours, the vehicle was intercepted by an armed group, which intimidated and forced the driver of the van belonging to Serfonac—a company providing services to Forestal Mininco—to exit the vehicle.
Subsequently, the van was burned by the unknown assailants. It was later reported that the driver was alone in the torched vehicle.
The armed individuals left writings referencing the Weichan Auka Mapu organization, demanding the release of so-called Mapuche political prisoners.
The captain of the Tirúa Carabineros, Cristián Vallejo, confirmed the version provided by the attack victim.
Meanwhile, the president of the Association of Forestry Contractors, René Muñoz, stated that the territory is "controlled by violent groups."
For his part, Governor Rodrigo Díaz referred to the canceled visit of Undersecretary of the Interior Manuel Monsalve to the area.
"I believe it is very important that the Government of Chile, responsible for public safety, comes to the Bío Bío region. Not only to the province of Arauco but also to the province of Bío Bío (…) the Ministry of the Interior is the one that must provide us with security," he stated.
Personnel from the Tirúa Carabineros arrived at the scene to gather details of the incident.
This is the first attack recorded after the end of the State of Exception in the province of Arauco.
Source:biobiochile.cl
