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Extortion of forestry operations spreads to ten communes, warn contractors

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• The trade association will take the issue to La Moneda, Congress, and, internationally, to the ILO.

An internal survey conducted among forestry contractors indicates that extortion incidents against forest operations have expanded in recent months to at least ten communes in the southern macrozone, including Curanilahue and Arauco in Biobío, and Victoria and Lumaco in La Araucanía.

René Muñoz, the association's manager, stated that alongside growing concern over this crime—where violent groups and radicalized organizations demand "multi-million toll payments and donations, which in some cases have reached $3 million"—two new arson attacks against the sector were reported this week: one on Wednesday on Route 5 South near Collipulli, and another early yesterday on the road between Padre Las Casas and Cunco, both in La Araucanía.

In addition to filing complaints about the extortion cases with the regional prosecutors' offices in Biobío and La Araucanía—for which they are gathering information—Muñoz revealed that in the coming days, they will go to La Moneda to present the situation to authorities from the Undersecretariat of the Interior.

He added that they will do the same before a committee in the Chamber of Deputies and representatives of the International Labour Organization (ILO). They hold regular meetings with the latter to monitor the state's implementation of measures for compliance with a convention on occupational health and safety.

CAM cell claims responsibility for yesterday's attack

Following the arson attack against two trucks—one forestry and another for general cargo and parcel transport—carried out on Wednesday on Route 5 South in La Araucanía and claimed by the group Resistencia Mapuche Malleco, yesterday's attack was claimed by the ORT (Organización de Resistencia Territorial) Kulapan, a cell of the Coordinadora Arauco Malleco (CAM). The criminal group itself confirmed this in a statement sent to online platforms linked to Mapuche activism.

The statement references the death of CAM militant Pablo Marchant—killed in an armed attack on a forestry operation in July 2021—demands the release of Mapuche prisoners, and advocates for "territory and autonomy." With these two attacks, the number of violent actions recorded this year against forestry operations rises to 18. Since 2014, the total stands at 488.

The president of the Chilean Wood Corporation in the southern macrozone, Antonio Soto, described the events as "extremely serious" and called on authorities for "greater security to protect highways and provide peace of mind to the community."

Source: subscription edition ofEl Mercurio