La lucha por el territorio mapuche en Chile: una cuestión de pobreza y medio ambiente

• Main Author: María José Andrade
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institut Pluridisciplinaire pour les Etudes sur l'Amérique Latine 2019-12-01
• Series: L'Ordinaire des Amériques
• Subjects: indigenous peoples; mapuche; territory; environment; Chile
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/orda/5132

The core subject in the current conflict between the Chilean State and the mapuche people, is the dispute over indigenous territories, the loss of which destined native communities to poverty. The fact that some enterprises dedicated to the extraction of natural resources own these territories, has also brought serious environmental damages. Given the special relation of aborigines with their territory and their harmonious connection with nature, their opinion about its administration is fundamental. Nevertheless, Chile not only has failed in the recognition of the territorial rights of the mapuche, but neither guarantees their effective participation when these spaces are affected. Socioeconomic and territorial inequalities are therefore intertwined, in the State’s lack of protection of indigenous rights and also of the environment.