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In this area, there was a complex of at least seven properties, five of which were reduced to ashes.

One of the victims is Eduardo Westemier, owner of one of the destroyed cabins—cabin No. 5—after this arson attack. In a conversation with BioBioChile, he explained, "I was here in Cañete when the Neighborhood Council notified me about the attack."

He also emphasized that this is the second attack he has suffered in three years. The previous one occurred three years ago, in May, in the coastal area of Quidico. There, another vacation cabin of his was burned to the ground, a case for which he filed a complaint, but no arrests have been made to date. For this reason, he criticized the lack of concrete actions by authorities against those responsible.

"The president tells me, 'Your cabins are being burned.' I only have one cabin, which is number five," he clarified. "Out of seven cabins, I understand that four burned down. They belong to different owners (the affected parties)," he added.

Regarding the incident, the man highlighted that the people in the area "are quite united," so "despite the gunshots and everything, many neighbors came to see the place, as well as friends I have there."

He also mentioned that "there were warnings about burnings and incidents, and trucks" in the area.

In this context, Westemier recalled the arson attack that resulted in the burning ofMolino Grollmusin 2022, due to the proximity of the location. He also claimed that an undetermined number of vehicles have gone missing in the area, in addition to the danger posed by radical groups operating there.

"As a victim, I can say it was a very beautiful, peaceful place; but they burned me in Quidico—three years ago—and now here. No authorities present. They patted me on the shoulder, saying, 'We're sorry,' that 'We'll look into it,'" he stated. He also accused authorities of failing to provide support for the attack he suffered three years ago.

Finally, despite the severity of this latest arson attack, the man expressed relief that it happened this way, without ending in tragedy, as he had planned to hold a family event there to celebrate a birthday.

Delegate Humberto Toro on Attacks in Arauco Province: "These Are Acts of Violent Crime"

According to Delegate Humberto Toro, the attack claimed by the RMA is linked to the situation of thosedetained in the Manqueche case, which involves murders and drugs.

He also noted that the affected cabins belong to tourism projects aimed at developing the territory, in which Mapuche communities also participate with their own initiatives.

For this reason, the Delegate stated that these attacks do not follow any logic of territorial protection or defense of the legitimate causes of the Mapuche people but are instead "acts of violent crime."

He also affirmed that they are investigating the incident alongside the police, the Public Prosecutor's Office, and Jedena Bío Bío, hoping to identify those responsible for the attack.

"We want—and have reiterated this—to have a peaceful and tranquil province," Toro said.

The Manqueche case refers to the arrest oftwo individuals accused of participating in the murder of two youths in the commune of Tirúa, which occurred in December 2022.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the accused are part of a criminal organization involved in drug trafficking and robbery with intimidation, allegedly using the Mapuche cause as a front.

Source:www.biobiochile.cl