MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean Mapuches, carrying weapons and Balaklavas bury comrade killed in shootout with police

During the funeral, the casket was carried by individuals with masks and holding high caliber weapons. Following Mapuche rites several fire bursts were heard.

Chilean officials strongly condemned the display of guns during the funeral of a man who was killed in a shootout with Carabineros following an arson attack, which took place last Friday in an estate in La Araucanía Region.

The estate belonging to a forestry company was under police protection since similar incidents in the past when several persons with Balaklava masks set machinery on fire triggering a shootout that ended with the life of Pablo Marchant, a university student.

However on Monday night during the vigil at a mourning parlour and the funeral, the casket was carried by individuals with masks and holding high calibre weapons. Following Mapuche rites, several fire bursts were heard.

Chilean Deputy Home Secretary Juan Francisco Galli said that the “ images of high calibre weapons displayed during the funeral of the person killed involved in an arson attack, and in which a forestry worker was also seriously injured, only comes to confirm the unrest we have repeatedly denounced in the Araucania region”.

“We have spent months seizing drugs, weapons and thwarting organized criminal gangs. It has not been easy, in those missions we've lost an Inspector, and previously two NCO Carabineros were killed”, indicated Galli who added that besides drugs other crimes are committed.

He mentioned that only a few days ago heinous crimes took place: “kidnapping, torturing, killing and in other cases houses burnt with people inside looking for the kind of weapons that we have seen at the funeral”.

“Precisely for that reason, to avoid further violence we are taking actions, nobody can brag with war weapons that are only good to kill other people”, said the Chilean official. The regional prosecution office has opened an investigation into the incident for violation of the Weapons Bill and has asked police to continue with the inquiries.