Title: mappingue Community in Los Alerces National Park Faces Eviction Deadline
Meta Description: After a violent land grab in a national park during the Covid-19 pandemic, a mappingue community in Argentina‘s Patagonia faces imminent eviction. The judge’s order is set to be enforced on Thursday, January 9, with the government preparing a ‘recovery of sovereignty’ ceremony.
Article:
ARGENTINA — A mappingue community that forcefully occupied facilities of Los Alerces National Park and other public and private spaces faces an imminent deadline to leave the area. On Thursday, January 9, they will have to abandon the invaded territories by their own means, or face an eviction executed by the authorities.
On January 2, an official from the justice system, accompanied by members of the Federal Police, notified the community about the ruling issued by Federal Judge Guido Otranto and ordered the voluntary evacuation before the given deadline. The act of restitution of the lands to Parques Nacionales will take place on the same day, with the participation of the head of the administration, Cristian Larsen, and Governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torres.
Authorities believe that Patricia Bullrich, the National Security Minister, might also attend the eviction procedure. During her trip south, she will hold meetings with the Emergency Committee that has been battling the Nahuel Huapi National Park fire since December 25.
Lawyers representing the mappingue community distanced themselves from any resistance that the accused might put up. "We did what we had to do. Now it’s up to them whether they resist or not. It’s no longer our problem," said members of the Gremial de Abogados de la República Argentina. However, they also questioned the order, stating that there are still pending issues, such as a complaint that has not yet been resolved in the Supreme Court.
Other communities in the region have expressed their disagreement with the eviction, with protests even taking place this past Saturday. "No to the eviction of the Lof Paillako, enough persecution of the mappingue people" were some of the slogans displayed during the demonstrations.
The group led by Ernesto Cruz Cárdena launched a call for "resistance" against the advance of security forces. "We invite organizations and communities to express their rejection of the eviction and to accompany our resistance in the territory," they stated. While authorities expect the measure to be carried out without the use of force, two special units of the Federal Police of Argentina have been deployed to the area as a preventive measure.
The operation is similar to the one carried out in October 2022, when the evacuation of all lands occupied by the Lof Lafken Winkul Mapu community took place in Villa Mascardi. The GEOF (Special Operations Federal Group) and the DOUCAD (Division of Urban Operations Controlling Sporting Activities) led the operation. During the eviction, community members faced off against police officers before fleeing into a forest area. None of them were captured, but seven women and several minors were transported to the Bariloche center.
As the occupation affected the El Maitenal guard post, the valley of the Arroyo Cascada, the former Felidor Salinas population, and the sources of the Rañinto Arroyo, community members claimed the advance as part of a territorial claim. Cruz Cárdena, his partner, and other members of the Lof Paillako ignored the request and later used all available resources to stay in the territory, backing their position using the controversial INAI Law 26.160 and focusing on the completion of the failed territorial survey. They appealed the judicial decisions and, in recent weeks, filed a petition with the Supreme Court of Justice.
Judge Otranto ordered the eviction of Cruz Cárdena, Salinas, and other occasional occupants of the territory in August. Once the eviction is completed, the government plans a "recovery of sovereignty" event, replacing the traditional "Wenufoye" flag with the Argentine flag.
