Chile: Mapuches Mobilize In Solidarity With Political Prisoners

The Mapuche community Sunday massively mobilized in several regions of Chile to support the political prisoners who have been on a hunger strike for several weeks now.

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In Curacautín, located 672 kilometers south of Santiago, demonstrators repudiated the existing racism in the country, as well as the state’s repression and violence in the face of the refusal to listen to the Mapuche political prisoners.

In other regions of the country, indigenous people demanded fair and humane treatment to Celestino Cordova, a Mapuche political prisoner who is in grave danger because of a hunger strike.

It was reported on Friday night that two Mapuche prisoners who had entered into a ‘dry’ hunger strike had been transported to a hospital following weeks of a liquid-only hunger strike.

Demonstrators installed large stones on the road, to prevent the normal circulation of vehicles. They also carried out small rallies urging the authorities to listen to their demands.

In response, the Carabineros (Chilean police) showed up in different places and began to break up the Mapuche marches.

For example, they suppressed the demonstration in front of the Curacautin municipality, the same place where Mapuche community members were beaten up last week.

Today's demonstrations not only call for the Mapuche political prisoners’ freedom and fair treatment but also commemorate the International Day of the World's Indigenous People.