Rosende rebuts UN criticism of treatment of Mapuches

SANTIAGO.- Following accusations voiced by UN Human Rights Special Reporter James Anaya regarding discriminatory treatment against members of the Mapuche indigenous community during police operations in the Araucanía region, Minister of Interior Patricio Rosende has emphatically rejected the critique and asserted that the government is constantly working to resolve the group's demands.

"I categorically refute the existence of discriminatory treatment towards the Mapuche community during these kinds of operations", Rosende declared, according to Radio Cooperativa.

The state official also indicated that "work is consistently being carried out in the public sector to resolve the legitimate and just claim to land, and we are not going to budge on that, no matter how much people want to blame the Mapuche community for acts of violence".

Rosende was emphatic in stating that all operations carried out in the Araucanía region follow orders given by the Public Ministry and are governed by current legal regulations.

The Minister of Interior also expressed that there is "an encouraging indigenous development policy which is constitutionally recognized, for integration with the State to overcome poverty. This is the work being done".