Temuco operation against street vendors leaves five arrested and eight guards injured

A crackdown on street vending in central Temuco ended in clashes between informal traders and municipal security guards, with five people arrested and eight inspectors injured.

Municipal security official Richard Gutiérrez said the vendors attacked the city employees with fists and kicks and threw merchandise, baskets and wooden objects. He said police were called immediately after the confrontation began.

"They cowardly attacked our officers with punches and kicks; they threw merchandise, baskets and other wooden objects, and this obviously led Carabineros to arrive at the scene immediately," Gutiérrez said.

Police arrested three men and two women from the Pacheco family, described as a family clan involved in informal commerce. The injured municipal employees were taken to a medical center.

The operation formed part of Temuco’s comprehensive plan to reclaim public spaces and remove street vending from the city center. The municipality said the effort has been accompanied by repeated clashes between vendors and officials.

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They cowardly attacked our officers with punches and kicks; they threw merchandise, baskets and other wooden objects, and this obviously led Carabineros to arrive at the scene immediately.