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Comptroller's Office Detects Illegal Exploitation of Native Forest on State-Owned Land in Tortel

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As part of the on-site inspections conducted by this Comptroller General of the Republic, an inspection of state-owned land in the commune of Tortel confirmed the unauthorized felling of over a hundred live trees.

Through collaborative work with Conaf and logistical support from the Chilean Navy, a delegation led by the Regional Comptroller of Aysén, Ricardo Hevia, was able to conduct a field visit to the Steele Fjord in the commune of Tortel. Thanks to this inter-institutional coordination, access was achieved to areas with difficult connectivity to verify compliance with environmental and administrative regulations.

The inspection confirmed the illegal felling of at least 162 live trees on a property located in Caleta Buzeta and leased to a private individual. The affected species include Coihue, Mañío, and Canelo; all of which are protected by the Native Forest Law (No. 20,283).

It was also verified that the Aysén Regional Ministerial Secretariat of National Assets did not inform Conaf about the extraction of dead Cypress wood from the same property, constituting a serious administrative omission.

The CGR also confirmed that the barge Aiheloc, owned by the Municipality of Tortel, was used to transport wood on a trip authorized by the then-mayor of the commune, without having current regulations or functional justification. Furthermore, the person responsible for navigation was his brother, which violates the principle of administrative probity.

Similarly, it was revealed that the municipalities of Tortel and Cochrane made timber purchases without possessing valid Transit Guides or management plans. In fact, in some cases, direct dealing was used, without the contracts or administrative acts required by law, exceeding the threshold of 100 UTM. Payments without documentary support and unpaid fines to suppliers for breach of contract were also detected.

In light of these findings, the Aysén Regional Comptroller's Office ordered an administrative inquiry to determine potential administrative responsibilities. Additionally, the relevant information was forwarded to the State Defense Council and the Public Prosecutor's Office.