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The Mapuche conflict shifts: violence and land seizures take root in Los Ríos and Los Lagos

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The territorial conflict that for decades was concentrated in La Araucanía and Bío Bío has clearly shifted toward the regions of Los Ríos and Los Lagos. This phenomenon is evident in a series of violent incidents and land seizures that replicate patterns previously observed in areas further north. Radio Bío Bío's Research Unit compiled and analyzed a detailed chronology of these events, demonstrating the expansion of the conflict into regions of high economic productivity.

On June 24, 2022, an arson attack in the Rucatayo sector, commune of Río Bueno, Los Ríos Region, left two workers injured and a vehicle destroyed. The victims were employees of the hydroelectric plant owned by the Norwegian company Statkraft. This incident marked the beginning of a series of attacks targeting energy projects in the area.

Less than two months later, on August 15, 2022, two buses transporting workers from a Statkraft contractor were attacked by masked individuals on Route T-969, Los Castaños sector. The date coincides with the anniversary of the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR), suggesting a possible symbolic connection.

These attacks not only demonstrate active opposition to hydroelectric projects but also a strategy of pressure through violence, similar to tactics used in past conflicts.

Lof Winkül Küsra

One focal point that has drawn authorities' attention is Lof Winkül Küsra, located in the commune of San Juan de la Costa, Osorno Province, Los Lagos Region. It has made headlines repeatedly due to clashes with police and its strong media presence.

According to records, on September 17, 2022, they began a process of "recovery and effective control" of 600 hectares belonging to the forestry company Bosques Arauco in the Purrehuin Alto sector.

Less than two weeks later, on October 1, a trawün—a traditional Mapuche gathering—was held to discuss "relevant matters." Public records indicate that Huilliche communities from various territories participated in this meeting, reportedly agreeing—as inferred from their subsequent actions—to oppose infrastructure projects such as the coastal highway, mining concessions, wind farms, hydroelectric plants, as well as forestry and real estate developments. All under the argument of safeguarding "the ancestral right to land ownership."

The meeting took place in the Kuinko jurisdiction, the nguillatuwe of Winkül Küsra (Loma de la Piedra), and was signed by multiple communities. Signatories included the lof Lafkenche Maikolpi, Kuinko, San Juan de la Costa, Riachuelo, Valdivia, as well as territories like Putrentren, San Pablo, Chamiza, Panguimapu, Caleta Cóndor, Puerto Octay, Castro, among others, forming a network spanning from Osorno to Chiloé.

On December 25, 2022, the lof occupied lands owned by the forestry company MASISA, a property of Hancock Chilean Corporation. The community justified their action with studies suggesting that the Loma de la Piedra territory was included in a Commissioner's Title granted in the 19th century to Williche families. In their statement, they warned that "self-defense will be used" and called for support for other ongoing demands.

The following day, during an eviction operation at the Santa Herminia estate, a police officer was injured by pellets. The incident revealed an increasing willingness to engage in confrontation.

In January 2023, the lof expanded its social media presence, creating accounts that quickly gained thousands of followers. These platforms have been used to promote their cause and coordinate actions. Their communication strategy aims to gain visibility and support, particularly among university students, replicating what occurred with the CAM (Arauco Malleco Coordinator) in the 1990s and 2000s.

So-called "activations" marked the beginning of a series of actions, all documented online, including public support for figures like Argentine Francisco Facundo Jones Huala, lonko weichafe, a key figure in the Mapuche struggle in both Argentina and Chile, emphasizing territorial recovery and the formation of a Mapuche nation.

Weapons discoveries

On December 18, 2024, in San Juan de la Costa, a joint operation by the Local Prosecutor's Office, the Investigative Police, and Carabineros led to the recovery of two properties that had been seized for over a year and a half. Thirteen homes in Osorno and properties in Loma de la Piedra were raided, resulting in the seizure of a shotgun, ammunition—including military-grade rounds—bulletproof vests, cash, and computer equipment. A 22-year-old nursing student and member of a Mapuche group was arrested.

Between December 19 and 22, the lof held its eighth guillatún with the participation of invited communities. Radio Bío Bío identified a statement released after the gathering reaffirming the occupation of the Santa Herminia estate and their stance toward the state: "demonstrating as a people that we stand firm in unity, despite their repressive apparatus and attempts to criminalize our struggle," they stated, using rhetoric similar to that of the CAM but with broader reach due to digital access.

Records also show they do not act in isolation but are part of a broader network of radicalized communities. This is indicated by the list of signatories, which includes territories like Melipulli (Puerto Montt), Aynil Mapu (Valdivia), and Argentine communities grouped under the Puel Mapu territory.

On January 8, 2025, during an operation in Rucapihuel, Guillermo Atlas Romero Bello, alias "Gume," a former member of the MIR, was arrested. Six illegal firearms and ammunition were seized. His capture followed reports of weapons stockpiling and alleged clandestine training.

Most recently, on March 19, 2025, a bag containing homemade weapons was found on a forestry property in San Juan de la Costa that had been seized and later evacuated. Authorities are investigating its origin and possible links to other occupations.

Shift in the conflict

Analysis of these events reveals a clear pattern: the Mapuche conflict is moving into areas with less history of rural violence. This may be explained by increased territorial control in La Araucanía and Bío Bío, prompting radicalized groups to seek new spaces with less state oversight. This "balloon effect" implies a geographic expansion and fragmentation of the phenomenon.

Violent actions in the context of land seizures, often justified by territorial claims, have become normalized in communes like San Juan de la Costa and Río Bueno. The phenomenon crosses borders: in Argentina, the government declared the Mapuche Ancestral Resistance (RAM) a terrorist organization, accusing it of burning thousands of hectares in Patagonia.

The pursuit of self-determination and territorial claims are constants in the Southern Macrozone, with an ideological component that keeps violence alive in land disputes south of the Biobío River. The replication of tactics used by the CAM suggests an adaptation and continuity of these forms of struggle.

Concern

For former Southern Macrozone Coordinator and current academic at Andrés Bello University's Law School, Pablo Urquízar, a potential shift should be a cause for concern among authorities.

Urquízar stated that "it is an objective reality that violent incidents in the Southern Macrozone have decreased due to the State of Emergency and the joint efforts of police and armed forces. However, the state of exception only applies to four provinces in La Araucanía and Biobío. It does not extend to Los Ríos and Los Lagos, which could lead to a covert relocation of radical groups to these regions."

He added, "especially since attacks by radicalized groups like the CAM, Weichan Auka Mapu, and Mapuche National Liberation have already occurred. There is an urgent need to focus on these regions to prevent the spread of violence and ensure peace throughout the Southern Macrozone."

Meanwhile, Valdivia Senator Iván Flores (DC) acknowledged that while violence is rooted in the so-called Southern Macrozone, there is no clear indication yet that it has spread to other regions.

However, Flores maintains that "we cannot lower our guard" and adds that "the new laws—the law severely punishing timber theft, the anti-land seizure law, the anti-terrorism law, the Nain-Retamal law—are powerful tools that have deterred these violent acts. The work of law enforcement and the maintenance of the state of emergency, which allows greater control, has also played a role. The dismantling of most violent organizations has brought some calm, but we must remain vigilant and not relax."

Source:BiobioChile