"Land is not for sale": Mapuche communities reject reform to Indigenous Law

Mapuche communities are vehemently opposing a proposed reform to Chile's Indigenous Law, announced by President José Antonio Kast. The reform seeks to remove restrictions on the use of indigenous lands, opening the door to rentals and mortgages.

Leaders within the Mapuche community view this as a significant setback. Ana Llao, from the organization Ad Mapu, declared, "Mapuche land is not for sale, not for rent, and certainly not for mortgages." She criticized the proposed policy, stating that authorities should evolve and not regress to practices from 150 years ago, which she linked to historical invasions and attempts at extermination.

Luis Catrileo, spokesperson for the National Mapuche Assembly, echoed these sentiments. He described President Kast's announcement as a "veiled call to facilitate a new dispossession" of the Mapuche and other indigenous peoples in Chile, targeting the limited lands they still possess. The communities argue that such changes disregard their evolving culture and rights, pushing for policies that respect their present-day realities rather than reverting to past oppressive measures.