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Fugitives in La Araucanía: 20 individuals linked to rural violence evade justice in the region

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On December 19, 2023, the Oral Criminal Court of Temuco sentenced Luis Kalfulican Tranamil Nahuel (33) to 32 years in prison for the murder of Carabineros Corporal Eugenio Naín Caniumil, which occurred on October 30, 2020, at kilometer 682 of Route 5 South in the commune of Padre Las Casas, La Araucanía region.

The murder of Naín, just 24 years old, married, and a father of two, caused shock due to the cold-bloodedness of the perpetrators, who killed him using a military rifle and 5.56 caliber ammunition, prohibited for civilian use.

Despite the conviction of the only detainee in this case, the family of this father and husband still feels a sense of impunity or partial justice. This is because two identified individuals remain among the 20 fugitives from justice in La Araucanía for cases of so-called rural violence, sought by both Carabineros and PDI personnel.

In the case of Corporal Naín’s murder, Francisco Javier Painevilo Maldonado (28) and Carlos Esteban Cancino Tapia (26) remain at large, both with pending arrest warrants. Despite efforts by Carabineros to locate them, these have been unsuccessful as they continuously move from place to place with the support of "helpers."

Lawyer Luis Candia, representing the widow of police officer Eugenio Naín, stated that the group that attacked the officer on the day of the incident consisted of seven armed individuals: the convicted man, the two identified fugitives, and four others whose identities remain unknown.

"Unfortunately, after four years, the Public Prosecutor's Office has not been able to identify and determine who they are. For my client, the widow of Mr. Naín, there was moderate satisfaction regarding achieving justice when the sentence and the penalty for Mr. Tranamil were announced and later confirmed by the Temuco Court of Appeals," the professional stated.

Candia added that, in his opinion, there are six fugitives from justice involved in the murder of the Carabineros officer, where a military rifle was used to end his life.

"We call on the Public Prosecutor's Office not to abandon the investigation. Currently, the inquiry is temporarily suspended, which we believe is inappropriate. We hope it is reactivated soon and that those identified can be apprehended as soon as possible. The prosecutor has mentioned knowing the area where they might be hiding, but the police have been unable to capture them," he asserted.

The plaintiff's attorney affirmed that Naín’s wife will not consider this case closed until "all the murderers who participated in this vile and cowardly homicide of Mr. Eugenio Naín are detained and tried."

Drug trafficking

Another emblematic case is that of Jorge Huenchullán Cayul (46), a werken (spokesperson) of the Autonomous Community of Temucuicui in the commune of Ercilla, investigated by the Public Prosecutor's Office for violating the Drug Law, specifically for cultivating marijuana.

On February 9, 2021, the Collipulli Guarantee Judge, Sandra Nahuelcura, issued an arrest warrant for the werken. However, Huenchullán was only detained in early July 2021 while hospitalized for Covid-19 at Victoria Hospital, where he was intubated.

On that occasion, he was apprehended, but the detention lasted only a few hours because lawyer Karina Riquelme filed a non-innovation order with the Temuco Court of Appeals, which was accepted by the higher court.

Finally, on July 29, a remote hearing was held, where Huenchullán was formally charged with marijuana trafficking, illegal possession of weapons, and ammunition. Guarantee Judge Sandra Nahuelcura ordered preventive detention for the accused, considering his release a danger to society.

The grounds for the arrest warrant stemmed from a raid on January 7, 2021, by over 800 detectives on the Autonomous Community of Temucuicui, where PDI Inspector Luis Morales Balcázar was killed. That day, police found 500 marijuana plants, 12.7 kilos of pressed marijuana, a .22 caliber revolver, and various types of ammunition on his property.

The Mapuche leader did not report to Angol Prison, entering a state of "political clandestinity," according to members of the Autonomous Community of Temucuicui, who accused authorities of persecuting him due to his status as a historic Mapuche leader.

Also fugitives in this case are Carolina Padilla Manquel, alleged to be Jorge Huenchullán’s partner, and his son-in-law, Kevin Espinoza Cifuentes.

The Government in La Araucanía

In 2023, the Criminal Analysis and Focus Prosecutor's Office of La Araucanía launched the Fugitives Plan, aimed at imprisoning those who evaded justice as convicted or accused of serious crimes. However, offenses committed in the context of so-called rural violence were excluded, as they are handled by the High Complexity Prosecutor's Office with specialized teams from both police forces.

Locating fugitives linked to rural violence in the region has always been a topic in periodic meetings with the Prosecutor's Office and police, according to former Presidential Delegate of La Araucanía (October 2022–November 2024) José Montalva, who explained the challenges in tracking these individuals.

"There are difficulties related to geography, lack of phone signal, poor visibility, and demographics, making access very hard. Investments have been made in technology, and we pushed for full deployment—this effort cannot regress. Now we must reach all areas, ensuring the State’s presence to address security and connectivity issues," he stated.

The former delegate asserted that "all court-ordered raids must be conducted, as befits a Rule of Law. The Public Prosecutor's work, alongside other institutions, to reduce crime figures is significant, and that includes apprehending fugitives."

Montalva emphasized that in La Araucanía, "there is no place the Rule of Law cannot enter, but some areas pose access challenges. Believing the State can enter anywhere without issues misunderstands the region’s reality. That’s why we have a State of Emergency, and until institutions can freely operate in all territories, it must remain in place."

Trade Associations

Patricio Santibáñez, president of La Araucanía’s Multigremial (a coalition of productive associations), noted: "We faced absolute impunity, but progress has been made through the Prosecutor's Office, with more convictions and arrest warrants—this is commendable. However, we are still far from ideal. Cases resulting in sanctions remain a small fraction of total crimes. Importantly, advances owe much to the State of Emergency, where police and justice officials operate more securely and contribute evidence. In this sense, the State of Emergency has been key to improving investigations and delivering justice, albeit still partially."

Recently, hope resurfaced for victims of rural violence in cases with detainees or fugitives. Interior Minister Carolina Tohá visited the Second Public Order Control Police Station in Pailahueque, Ercilla, to deliver a state-of-the-art surveillance drone to Carabineros.

The unmanned aircraft, an Austrian-made Camcopter S-100, cost nearly seven billion pesos and features a 6-hour flight autonomy—far exceeding the 45-minute capacity of previous drones.

Source:BiobioChile