INoticias.CL | Officials Decry «Structural Setback» Following Closure of Indigenous Peoples Unit at National Assets Ministry: Statement Released

Officials Decry «Structural Setback» Following Closure of Indigenous Peoples Unit at National Assets Ministry

The central team of the Indigenous Peoples Unit at the National Assets Ministry expressed its «deep regret» over the decision made by Minister Catalina Parot and Undersecretary Javier Peró to terminate this body, which was established to address indigenous land demands that began in 1999 and were formalized in 2017 due to a rise in cases in the southern macrozone.

According to the statement, the ministry—responsible for managing the country’s public land—has played a crucial role in the regularization of indigenous lands, supported by regulations such as decrees 1,939 and 2,695, as well as Indigenous Law 19,253. The unit’s efforts included processes such as land restitution, the transfer of public assets to CONADI, and the resolution of territorial conflicts in various regions of the country.

The document highlights the unit’s significant contributions in landmark cases, like the amicable agreement with the Aymara community of Chusmiza-Usmagama, the indigenous consultation regarding Puyehue National Park, conflicts in Rapa Nui over Mataveri airport, and numerous land regularization processes in the southern macrozone. These advancements, they argue, have fostered territorial justice between the state and indigenous peoples.

Furthermore, they note that the continuation of this work was made possible through institutional processes maintained during the administrations of Michelle Bachelet, Sebastián Piñera, and Gabriel Boric. However, they claim that on March 19, under the mandate of José Antonio Kast, the closure was resolved through Resolution N°386, without evaluations, official reports, or dialogue with the team.

The statement also denounces the lack of formal notification to officials, including the respective leaderships, with the measure being executed abruptly through the dismissal of most of the central team. Additionally, the decision was purportedly justified by instructions from the Ministry of Finance, which they deem «discordant,» given that the unit’s budget was largely sourced from transfers from CONADI.

Finally, the team warns of a «structural setback» in the responsibilities of the state towards indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples, questioning the ethical implications behind the decision. In this vein, they call on public sector workers—including ANFUBIENES and ANEF—and indigenous communities to defend public service, continue their processes, and assert their rights before the ministry.

View the complete statement. Released by: Karen Glavic