Hooded Men Attack Municipality in the Chilean Araucania

The municipal building of Tirua, in the Chilean Araucania, was attacked with stones by a group of hooded men on Friday night amid tensions in the area. 

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All the windows of the headquarters were broken during the attack. According to local authorities, no one has been arrested so far.

Eyewitnesses also reported attacks on banks and houses, bursts of gunfire, and police vehicles deployed at the town's entrance.

The incident occured a day after Carabineros (Chilean police) evicted Mapuche protesters who took to the municipality in support of jailed indigenous leaders who are on a hunger strike. The eviction left at least 3 people arrested. 

Chile’s Socialist Party Lawmakers, Manuel Monsalve and Emilia Nuyado strongly condemned the eviction.

"This seems part of a President Sebastian Piñera's strategy to recover his electorate and resolve the problems of his coalition. Peace is not the main objective of this administration," said lawmaker Manuel Monsalve. 

"Chile's interior Ministry affirmed that authorities are open to dialogue. But they did not dialogued with the Tirua's Mayor Adolfo Millabur, who is Mapuche," Monsalve added as he recalled that Millabur did not agree with the eviction, or with the excessive use of force. 

Piñera's administration "decided to forced their way in. In Chile, the police passes over the Mayor's authority. There is no dialogue nor understanding," Millabur assured.