A new violent day in the Araucania region, in southern Chile, where the conflict with radical Mapuche groups takes place. According to Chilean authorities, at least three trucks, for forest use and timber transport, were destroyed in the town of Collipulli, 580 kilometers south of Santiago. The attack was self-appointed by the armed group Coordinadora Arauco Malleco (CAM). Meanwhile, not far from that attack, on the Victoria-Curacautín International Route, a demonstration took place, amid the incessant rains, calling for the release of the prisoners of the Elicura lof, which ended with barricades that prevented the traffic of vehicles and, most seriously, that a truck driver was hit by two shells ballistic.
According to information provided by the Prosecutor's Office of La Araucanía, ballistic evidence of weapons of war was collected on the spot. In addition, a canvas was found with direct threats against the judiciary and the police.
As a result of the fact, three people were injured, one of them was the one who was hit on his skull and is currently serious. The man was rushed to Victoria Hospital and then to the regional healthcare facility.
“In the early hours of today, an undetermined group of people attacked four vehicles that were driving along Route 5 South. As a result of this attack, three people were injured, one of them seriously and is currently at vital risk. Firearms were used in the attack. We have been able to determine that two war rifles were used,” explained the regional prosecutor of La Araucanía, Roberto Garrido
In that area, law enforcement personnel of the Carabineros also reported multiple trees being knocked down and the burning of tires, which made it difficult for police vehicles to enter the scene. As far as the driver of the attacked truck is concerned, he would be seriously and at vital risk. However, until now, more details related to his state of health are unknown.
The head of the Araucanía Zone, General de Carabineros Manuel Cifuentes, indicated that there are several antecedents that reveal that, underneath, seven armed people with covered faces would have intercepted trucks on the route and intimidated their drivers for subsequent burning. ''The crime was perpetrated by seven hooded men , who forced the drivers to descend and then proceed to pour some type of accelerating chemical that caused the combustion of these machines'', added the uniformed, while in the vicinity of the place repeated gunshots were heard, which according to Cifuentes was something of a 'common nature' in the area.
Although there were no fatalities or injuries, these records were made available to the service of the Chilean Public Prosecutor's Office.
So far this week, conflicts in the Araucania region, and in particular in the so-called southern macrozone, have escalated into violence. Just last Tuesday, there was a burning of trucks, vans and cranes in the town of Curanilahue, which belongs to the Biobío region. On the other hand, on the same day of April 19, the facilities of a tourist and holiday resort, near Victoria (Araucanía), were completely destroyed, leaving their cabins disabled. It should be noted that in the place, a canvas was also found alluding to the release of the prisoners from lof Elicura. In addition, a group of unknown persons opened fire on Carabineros personnel in Tirúa, specifically in the Quidico sector.
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