Indigenous communities in Chile will be on the losing side of the elections, regardless of the actual outcome of the presidential election on Sunday, December 14, fears the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP). An election victory for the far-right José Antonio Kast in particular would result in significant repression for Indigenous Peoples.
Both Kast and the communist Jeannette Jara have announced in their economic programs that they will further expand raw material exports, investment protection, and large-scale projects. “The costs of this economic model are borne primarily by indigenous communities, environmental defenders, and social movements,” warns Jan Königshausen, STP’s advisor on Indigenous Peoples.
Particularly alarming is the political rise of José Antonio Kast, whose rhetoric and program are reminiscent of the military dictatorship era and combine a harsh security agenda with the targeted criminalization of indigenous activists. “For the Mapuche people in particular, who are already subjected to massive repression in the Biobío, Araucanía, and Los Ríos regions, Kast’s election would mean a further step backward: more militarization, restrictions on land rights, and the equating of legitimate social demands with terrorism,” says Königshausen.
The broad support for Kast shows how fragile democratic and human rights achievements in Chile continue to be. Central issues in the election campaign across all parties were migration and an alleged related increase in crime. However, the latter in particular lacks any statistical basis.
In view of these worrying developments, Germany has a responsibility to ensure that human rights and international obligations such as ILO 169 and the right of indigenous communities to free, prior, and informed consent are consistently implemented in trade relations with Chile. Instead, by approving the “Advanced Framework Agreement between the European Union and Chile” shortly before the elections, Germany has reinforced a course that puts economic interests above human rights.
The Bundestag passed all three draft laws ratifying the new EU-Chile agreement in November. The agreement provides for the abolition of almost all customs duties, comprehensive investment protection, and the replacement of existing bilateral investment protection agreements—including the 1991 German-Chilean agreement—with new agreements.
“The agreement is being sold as modern and value-based, but it contains hardly any effective mechanisms to protect indigenous peoples and minorities,” says Jan Königshausen. “It strengthens investor rights without ensuring that international obligations to protect indigenous rights are upheld.”
This press release was translated from German to English using AI. If you come across errors or ambiguities, please contact us at 65]G378o6DD6CA.
Contact: Jan Königshausen, Advisor on Indigenous Peoples – 65]G378o?6DF29D8:?6@<];