President Sebastián Piñera defended the existence of the current state of emergency in four provinces that comprise the southern macrozone due to the acts of violence that are recorded in some sectors of the regions, thus responding to the questions made by the new Minister of the Interior, Izkia Siches.
“Militarizing the area has not achieved the objective to reduce violence, but rather has increased it,” was the phrase said on the last day by the former president of the Medical College, to which the President replied: “I think it is important to be well informed, because the state of exception has allowed us to deploy the Armed Forces in logistical support, communications, telecommunications, information, intelligence, to the police, Carabineros and the PDI and that has been very useful,” he said.
“We have close to 2,000 members of the Armed Forces deployed in the southern macrozone, but also has allowed us to significantly reduce the number of violent acts” Between 30-40%, he assured.
In this context, he reaffirmed that “as President of Chile, listening to the people and fulfilling my duty to do everything in our power, within the law, to maintain order and security throughout Chile and in the macrozone south, we have decided to expand, extend the state of emergency until at least March 11“.
To do this, however, it requires the approval of both Houses of Congress, which must endorse the extension for periods of 15 days. A Legislative that in February has its vacation recess.
In turn, the current Minister of the Interior, Rodrigo Delgado, said he believes “that there are people who effectively, especially people linked to pure terrorism that are often found in the southern macrozone, who what they want is the absence of the State for them it is to replace the State, and that is the fight that we have been giving precisely, among other focuses, with the state of exception “.
“Because we believe that the state of exception is necessary, today the numbers of the state of emergency tell us that we have more than 110 detainees, that we have seized drugs, stolen vehicles, weapons; We have also made significant progress in criminal investigations. There are results that tell us that the state of emergency is not only necessary, but also – in our opinion – should continue, but that will of course be a matter of definitions for the next government,” he said.
The professor at the University of Talca Dany Jaimovich, a researcher at the Mapuche Observatory and an expert in economic development and the impact of conflicts, called for the search for dialogue mechanisms in the area, stating that “When they have tried to repress these groups, what has been done is to make them more extreme or divide among themselves. The Coordinator Arauco Malleco (CAM), for example, is now divided into territorial resistance organizations and even more violent groups have spread”.
While the Undersecretary of the Interior, Juan Francisco Galli, highlighted what this measure has achieved and pointed out that “that is why this effort reflects the support that is being given to the public order control forces that are here in La Araucanía, but that operate throughout the southern macro zone, in order to operate more safely, react in a timely manner and support operations to identify those responsible”.
“THE DATA IS ON THE TABLE”
Siches also said yesterday that some sectors are benefiting from the conflict, referring to the fact that there is ill will for dialogue, and he alluded that “There are non-Mapuche civil groups that are not available today to work and innovate”.
“I don’t know what group she may be referring to. In a short time, she will be Minister of the Interior, and she will surely have all the powers to make this information available. There are groups that disguise themselves and shelter under the umbrella of the Mapuche cause to from there to commit illicit acts,” said Delgado.
Consulted today, Siches pointed out that “beyond defining who is right or wrong, the data is on the table and unfortunately we have had fatalities in the last week, something that saddens us, worries us, but also worries us”.
“My invitation is for all of us to work, it will not be just a task for the Government, it will also be a task for the sectors that will later advance towards the opposition“, reinforced who will be Minister of the Interior from March 11.
POSSIBILITIES OF VOTING DURING LEGISLATIVE RECESS
Ad portas of the February legislative recess, in Congress the possibility of meeting during that month in an extraordinary manner is handled, in order to discuss the respective request that the Executive will enter to continue renewing the state of emergency.
“We are summoned in February to extend the state of exception again. We know that it is a tool that has worked, that it has been effective for public order and obviously we are going to vote in favor of it. This state of exception will last until the new government takes office.“, affirmed the deputy Sebastián Torrealba (RN).
Along these lines, he assured that “it is evident that we are going to make all the necessary proposals so that this option continues to work in La Araucanía, because It is a tool that has proven to be efficient.“.