El Ciudadano
Original article: Cuestionan a alcalde RN de Casablanca por aceptar invitación a Israel: Protesta frente al Municipio terminó con varios detenidos
On Thursday, June 18, law enforcement arrested several individuals peacefully protesting outside the Casablanca Municipality in the Valparaíso Region, denouncing Mayor Rodrigo Martínez (RN) for accepting institutional agreements and invitations from Israel.
It is important to note that a few weeks ago, the mayor received an official invitation from Israeli Ambassador to Chile, Peleg Lewi, to participate in Expo Muni 2026, scheduled for June 23 and 24 in Tel Aviv.
According to local media reports, the trip was approved by the Municipal Council with a vote of 4 to 2, but opposition council members criticized the mayor’s visit to Israel. Councilor José Manuel Cartagena stated on Radio Biobío that «turning our backs on the Palestinian Community and their suffering would show an indifference we are not willing to accept.»
In this context, the protest outside the Municipality escalated when law enforcement intervened, leading to the arrest of demonstrators who were taken to the 20th Police Station in the commune.
«Mayor Martínez, of Renovación Nacional, even accepted a paid invitation from the Israeli Embassy to travel to Tel Aviv amid genocide. Those who take to the streets to denounce such complicity are criminalized,» stated attendees of the protest in a communiqué.
They asserted that «this is not an isolated incident. The detention of activists exercising their right to protest is part of a repressive escalation aimed at silencing voices opposing the Chilean government’s complicity with the genocide in Gaza.»
«While the State of Israel kills tens of thousands of Palestinians, the government of Kast and its local representatives —including Mayor Rodrigo Martínez Roca— maintain a complicit silence or refuse to take a stand. We will not be silenced. Repression will not stop the solidarity with Palestine,» added local community members.
At the time of this report, there were calls for «the immediate and unconditional release of the activists detained at the 20th Police Station in Casablanca, and an end to the persecution of those mobilizing against genocide.»
In his defense, Mayor Rodrigo Martínez reiterated that the invitation to Israel «aims to strengthen knowledge and build relationships in key areas such as water management, security, and waste treatment,» emphasizing that the trip will incur no costs to the municipality and could offer solutions to issues affecting the commune, as reported by Rednoticiasvr.
We will continue to provide updates.
We will continue to provide updates.
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