Chile - State of emergency in the South

Piñera’s sudden focus on protests and violence in Mapuche areas may be an attempt to distract from scandals and his diminishing legitimacy.

Last week, Chilean president Sebastián Piñera declared a state of emergency in the country’s southern region amid disturbances and attacks. The region named in the state of emergency declaration is contested territory that Mapuche groups claim as ancestral lands, and thus rightful property.  The executive order affects over 70 communities in the Biobío …