Court finds Pelentaro Llaitul and five other defendants guilty of arson attack in Lautaro

The Oral Criminal Court of Temuco issued a guilty verdict against six members of the so-called "Lautaro cell," including Pelentaro Llaitul, after establishing their responsibility for an attack that occurred in November 2022 in the La Araucanía Region. The ruling declares them guilty of a series of crimes related to the attack, including arson, kidnapping, and robbery.

The Public Prosecutor's Office investigation established that on November 22, 2022, the defendants entered the San Luis estate, located in the commune of Lautaro, where they intimidated workers using war weapons and shotguns. Under threats, they held the victims captive while carrying out the attack.

During the action, three trucks and an excavator belonging to the property were set on fire. After the attack, a banner with slogans attributed to the Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco (CAM) was found at the scene, a piece of evidence that was part of the investigation.

Alongside Pelentaro Llaitul, the court also found Luis Menares, Juan Mardones, Luis Fuenzalida, and Jorge Caniupil guilty of the crimes of repeated arson, simple kidnapping, and robbery.

In the same ruling, the judges decided to convict Pelentaro Llaitul and Juan Mardones for the crime of illegal possession of firearms, after expert examinations of the seized weapons established their involvement. In contrast, the other defendants were acquitted of that specific charge due to insufficient evidence to establish their individual responsibility.

The La Araucanía Prosecutor's Office requested a total sentence of 67 years in prison for Pelentaro Llaitul, considering the set of crimes for which he was brought to trial.

With this verdict, the judicial process enters its final stage. The Oral Criminal Court of Temuco has set the hearing for next July 13 at 1:00 PM, during which it will announce the sentences each of the convicted individuals must serve. The ruling will mark the conclusion of one of the most impactful cases investigated in recent years in the context of rural violence in the Southern Macrozone.