The Lafken Winkul Mapu community is about to be judged for the second time for "usurpation" of its ancestral Mapuche territory. The trial is scheduled for February 25, 26, and 27, and will continue virtually on March 11, 12, and 13, presided over by Judge Alejandro Adrián Silva, the same one who was in charge of the case of the murder of Rafael Nahuel.
The community expresses its confidence in the strength of the Mapuche people, who have resisted despite the abuses. They have been victims of violence and violent attacks from the state, including the detention of women and children, aimed at weakening them and stripping them of their sacred land.
The "main case" for usurpation, which arose after an operation in which the detainees were released, has been described by the community as a government invention to justify the eviction and other arbitrary actions taken against them. Despite the difficulties, the community continues to call for unity and to maintain its Mapuche identity in the face of state persecution and violence.
The Guild of Lawyers highlights the importance of closely following the trial, which is seen as another injustice in a political and judicial context that seeks to criminalize the Mapuche people. Solidarity and support for communities that have suffered the state's racist violence is essential.
The trial will be broadcast virtually, and the community invites everyone to witness it and accompany them in this struggle for the defense of their territory and identity. The Lafken Winkul Mapu community remains steadfast in its resistance and its right to exist on its ancestral land.
