Radical Mapuche Group Leaders Arrested, Main Suspect Still at Large

On January 9, 2024, the Special Investigations Brigade (BIPE) of the PDI conducted a targeted operation against the leaders of the radical Mapuche organization, Mapuche Lafkenche Resistance (RML). The group gained notoriety after attacking the Grollmus Mill on August 29, 2022, in the Biobío region commune of Contulmo. Police made three significant arrests, including the RML's financier, spokesperson, and a member of its armed wing.

Why this matters: The ongoing conflict between radical Mapuche groups and authorities in the Arauco province has significant implications for regional stability and security. The persistence of these groups threatens to disrupt economic activities and daily life in the affected areas, highlighting the need for effective solutions to address the root causes of the conflict.

Javier Ramírez, identified being the RML's financier, Claudia Nahuelán, who served spokesperson for several Mapuche lof, and Elías Cona Tranamil, part of the organization's armed wing, were among those arrested. However, the main leader of the RML, Federico Astete Catrileo, remains at large, with an active arrest warrant. PDI subprefect Juan Carlos Bustos stated,"Astete was warned of the procedure and fled the area."

Federico Astete Catrileo, originally from the Metropolitan region, settled in the Arauco area around 2015-2016 and began engaging in activities that conflicted with the common good. He is the brother of Camilo Astete Catrileo, who was convicted of attempted homicide and arson in 2015, crimes in which Federico also participated. Astete has had an arrest warrant in force since 2017 for an attack in Pocuno, Cañete, and is linked to several arson attacks in different sectors of the Southern Macrozone.

According to a police intelligence report, the Mapuche Lafkenche Resistance is one of the most recent criminal organizations to emerge in the region, with a "direct link between the WAM and the RML." The RML, composed of six atomized groups operating on the P-72 S and P-60 routes, was formed in April 2020 by José Benicio Huenchunao Mariñan, who recruited young people from the coastal area of Arauco.

Suspicion has fallen on the RML for the recent triple homicide of police officers Carlos Cisterna, Sergio Arévalo, and Misael Vidal on April 27, 2024, in Cañete. The organization's activities have also been linked to wood theft, with former BIPE detective José Luis López suggesting that "the RML began to realize the profitability of wood theft and separated from the CAM (Weichan Auka Mapu) in fundamentally terms of profitability."

The arrests of key RML members mark a significant step in the fight against radical Mapuche groups in the Arauco province. However, with the organization's leader still at large and the ongoing threat of violence and criminal activity, authorities face a challenging task in restoring peace and security to the region. The investigation continues as law enforcement works to reduce the influence and impact of groups like the RML on the lives of those living in the affected areas.

Key Takeaways

• Police arrested 3 leaders of the radical Mapuche group RML, including financier and spokesperson.
• Main leader Federico Astete Catrileo remains at large with an active arrest warrant.
• RML is linked to arson attacks, wood theft, and a triple homicide of police officers.
• The group emerged in 2020 and is composed of 6 atomized groups operating in the Arauco region.
• The arrests mark a significant step in the fight against radical Mapuche groups in the region.