The La Araucanía Trade Union Coalition (Multigremial) released its March 2026 report, calling for the continuation of the State of Constitutional Exception in the Southern Macrozone. The document argues that the recent reduction in violence represents a fragile containment rather than the end of the conflict.
The report notes five violent incidents in the first quarter of this year, following a downward trend that dropped from 72 cases in 2021 to 17 in 2025. However, the organization warns that every time emergency measures have been lifted, it has led to a resurgence of violence.
Greater impact and economic costs
The coalition points out that the lower frequency of attacks does not imply a reduction in their severity. The report highlights a trend of "lower frequency, higher intensity," citing the 2024 murder of three police officers in Cañete and the 2025 attack in Rucalhue as examples.
Economic impact is also a central focus of the document. Between March 2024 and March 2026, the burning of more than 110 trucks resulted in significant losses for forestry contractors and construction companies.
The Rucalhue attack alone caused estimated damages between $5 million and $7 million. Meanwhile, the loss of 49 trucks in the forestry sector between 2024 and 2025 resulted in a $22.4 million loss.
The report identifies the involvement of seven active groups, including the Coordinadora Arauco Malleco (CAM), Weichan Auka Mapu, and Resistencia Mapuche Lafkenche, which are responsible for 35% of the documented attacks.
The president of the coalition, Patricio Santibáñez, called the decision to lift the state of emergency a risky move. "Terrorism is still present, with around four attacks per month—something that is not normal anywhere else in the world," the leader stated.
Santibáñez demanded that the complete dismantling of terrorist groups be the sole condition for lifting the measures. "The government and the candidate made a promise regarding security, and it cannot be that, so soon, we are already talking about reduced protection," he concluded.
