El Ciudadano
Original article: Tras incidente con la ministra Lincolao, FEUACh rechaza la violencia y apunta al Gobierno por la conflictividad social
Following the incident involving Science Minister Ximena Lincolao in Valdivia, the Federation of Students of the Austral University of Chile (FEUACh) released a statement condemning the acts of violence while defending the legitimacy of student and social movements.
The event took place during an activity at the Main Auditorium of UACh when the government official was leaving the venue. At that moment, she was confronted by protesters and experienced pushing and water being thrown at her.
The student organization indicated that the protests reflect a deeper and more widespread discontent. «The expressions of dissatisfaction and social mobilizations are legitimate and represent the feelings of the communities; they are inherent to life in society and must be listened to and understood by the country’s authorities,» they stated.
In this regard, the statement aims to draw a clear distinction between the specific acts of violence and the broader context of the demonstrations.
FEUACh’s Stance Against Violence and Critique of the Government
Regarding the incident affecting the minister, the federation was clear in distancing itself from the actions taken. «Furthermore, we condemn and do not support any acts of violence against Minister Ximena Lincolao during this demonstration,» they stated.
However, they also emphasized that these incidents do not invalidate the nature of the mobilization. «But this does not mean a loss of the value of the demonstration, in which the majority of our colleagues participated peacefully and legitimately, expressing their discontent towards a government authority.»
The statement additionally directly addresses the role of the Executive in the current social climate. «The authorities must understand that discontent is legitimate and that their actions contribute to a socially volatile environment in our country,» they asserted.
Call for Peaceful Mobilization and Critique of Governance
The FEUACh also commented on the broader context that, in their opinion, explains the rise in tensions. «The government’s lack of governance, indifference, and lack of understanding of the Chilean reality have led to increases in living costs for us.»
In this regard, they stressed that these conditions directly impact educational trajectories and development opportunities.
Finally, the federation called for continued mobilizations but within a peaceful framework. «We urge our fellow students to continue to demonstrate peacefully, and we call on the government to listen to its people and correct its course, fostering a genuine dialogue to reduce the social conflict that has arisen.»
In the aftermath, the Universidad Austral de Chile distanced itself from any violent expression and reaffirmed its commitment to coexistence within the university community. In this line, the institution stated, «We defend the necessity for diverse perspectives to be expressed,» but warned that «we will not tolerate violence or actions that undermine respect among individuals.»
Moreover, the university announced the initiation of an internal process to clarify what transpired. «The Universidad Austral de Chile will commence an investigation into the events […] with the aim of clarifying what occurred and determining the corresponding responsibilities,» the higher education institution indicated.
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