Southern Macrozone: Constitutional State of Emergency Maintained

With 31 votes in favor and 1 against, the Senate endorsed the presidential letter requesting an extension of the constitutional state of emergency in the La Araucanía Region, and the provinces of Arauco and Biobío, in the Biobío Region, thereby extending the measure for an additional 30 days.

Minister of Defense, Fernando Barros, highlighted that "significant achievements have been made. (…) As of May, we have achieved an 80% reduction in rural violence (…) It has allowed for more controls and for the judiciary and the Public Prosecutor's Office to have the resources so that Carabineros and PDI can comply with court rulings."

Additionally, he outlined that measures have been introduced, such as one that will allow the Armed Forces to carry out preventive and investigative identity checks, and specified that work is underway on complementary aid for victims and on policies related to indigenous affairs.

For her part, the now former Minister of Security, Trinidad Steinert, highlighted the declining figures but urged "not to forget the severity" of the events, which makes the extension necessary.

Along these lines, she highlighted procedures, such as the one carried out inside Temucuicui, which - she acknowledged - "brings actions from criminal groups, and today we are not equipped to face them only with Carabineros and the Investigations Police."

During the session, senators Miguel Ángel Becker, Vanessa Kaiser, Fidel Espinoza, Cristián Vial, Enrique Van Rysselberghe, Rodolfo Carter, Beatriz Sánchez, and Alejandro Kusanovic spoke.

The intervention in the community of Temucuicui, in the commune of Ercilla, was valued, and they recalled that entry to the area "was limited," so "it is beginning to be noticed that this decree is moving in a different direction."

Likewise, the importance of "seeking justice against people who have misused the just struggle that our indigenous peoples have carried out for years" was highlighted. "The possibility of defeating violent groups is not a left-wing or right-wing solution," it was emphasized.

All in all, there was a call to review dialogue actions with the communities and to maintain programs and projects for the communities.