A conflict between an indigenous community and the state in Argentine Patagonia has reignited following the October 2024 arrest of Juan Pablo Colhuan, leader of the Lof Lafken Winkul Mapu community. He faces multiple charges, including arson, which human rights groups denounce as part of a state policy of criminalization and re-victimization of the indigenous people. In 2017, the community occupied a portion of Nahuel Huapi National Park, claiming it as the recovery of their ancestral lands. Since then, the conflict has been marked by a series of evictions, judicial persecution, and violence from security forces. The most dramatic event was the 2017 killing of 22-year-old Rafael Nahuel by a special forces unit. Despite ongoing pressure, the community continues its fight for territorial, spiritual, and cultural self-determination.
