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Preventive detention for second lonco accused of multi-million extortion to avoid farm burning in Lautaro

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The second lonco arrested in connection with a multi-million extortion case against a forestry businessman in Lautaro, La Araucanía region, has been placed in preventive detention.

The Mapuche community member, identified as José Domingo Pichunhuala Huentenao, was captured by officers from the OS9 unit of Carabineros during the day yesterday, Wednesday, and made available to the Temuco Guarantee Court.

There, he was formally charged for his involvement in the extortion against the owner of the Casablanca farm, whom they coerced and threatened into paying $18 million to prevent his property from being burned.

This was reported by the lead prosecutor, Enrique Vásquez, who detailed the crimes under investigation.

"The facts as described constitute the crime of extortion against the accused José Pichunhuala Huentenao. He is attributed as the perpetrator, and the crime is considered fully consummated," explained the prosecutor.

The Guarantee Judge in Lautaro, Etienne Fellay, after reviewing the case's background, ordered the preventive detention of the accused.

Additionally, a 3-month period was set for the investigation, as occurred the previous day with the community lonco Guillermo Ñiripil, charged with the same crime.

In this hearing, the Government joined as a plaintiff through lawyers from the Presidential Delegation in La Araucanía.

It is worth noting that, prior to the hearing, barricades were erected with felled trees on internal roads in Lautaro.

In that context, at least five people attempted to burn a wooden bridge in an area connecting the roads to San Patricio, El Tesoro, and the commune of Vilcún with Lautaro. A sign was found there reading, "Free Lonco Ñiripil."

Finally, it should be noted that with this court ruling, both loncos accused of extortion against the forestry businessman are now in preventive detention.

Source:www.biobiochile.cl