News

Railway Workers and Carabineros Thwart Attempted Train Derailment in La Araucanía

Sponsors

• An act of sabotage against a freight train was prevented in the Malleco province, with a threatening message directed at the Interior Minister and the warden of Angol.

The swift intervention of railway workers and Carabineros averted a potential disaster on the tracks in Malleco province, in the La Araucanía Region. Workers on a freight train carrying forty wagons detected a banner with threats against Interior Minister Carolina Tohá and the warden of Angol prison, prompting them to immediately halt the train.

The Carabineros' Labocar team, alerted to the situation, arrived at the scene and discovered that a section of the railway had been tampered with in an attempt to derail the convoy. The banner found in Pidima, in the Ercilla municipality, contained a message from the Mapuche Malleco Resistance, demanding respect for Mapuche political prisoners and warning that without land, there will be no peace.

Minister Tohá responded to the incident by announcing the filing of a legal complaint and the strengthening of the Ercilla Plan, emphasizing that the Government will not be intimidated by threats. Through her X (formerly Twitter) account, Tohá stated that peace is built by confronting violence, promoting state presence and development, and engaging in dialogue to resolve the land conflict.

The police operation deployed in the area included specialized personnel and the Public Order unit, who have been monitoring the zone to prevent future incidents and assess the damages caused. This event highlights the ongoing tension in the region, where land demands by Mapuche communities have led to past conflicts and acts of violence.

The Government has reiterated its commitment to dialogue and peaceful solutions but has also made clear that acts of sabotage and violence will not be tolerated. The Carabineros' investigation remains ongoing to identify those responsible for this attempted attack and prevent similar incidents from recurring.