Like Bolivia, Chile is now a 'plurinational and intercultural' state

On Thursday, the Constitutional Convention's Political System Committee approved a motion that effectively declared Chile to be a "Plurinational and Intercultural State.”

Approved by a 19 of 25 members of the constitutional commission, the new norm emerged after citizens submitted petitions to the body demanding that the draft of the new constitution include the right for indigenous self-determination and self-governance.

Although giving a democratic voice to Chile’s various indidgenous communities sounds positive, the proposal effectively provides the Mapuche, Aymara, Rapa Nui, Lickanatay, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Chango, Kawashkar, Yaghan and Selk’nam peoples with a route to independent rule.

Noting the Mapuche people’s territorial ambitions and desire to expel the Chilean state from the South of Chile, it becomes apparent that this move could bring about real trouble for a region that has struggled with terrorist violence for decades.

Shortly after the election of left-wing Gabriel Boric, one radical terrorist group in Southern Chile released a blistering article calling for increased political violence as means of struggle in the already turbulent Araucania region.

In the article, leadership from the Coordinadora Arauco Malleco (CAM) outlined the Mapuche guerrilla movement’s position before Boric’s new government – which it defined as “that new hippy, progressive and cool left.”

The article continued to explain that because the power structure in Chile has not changed, the CAM will continue to use force to combat “expressions of capitalism in the Wallmapu" (Mapuche territory).

“We call on our rebellious Mapuche people to continue resisting and to reclaim political violence as a legitimate instrument of our struggle, against whoever is governing and whoever upholds the pattern of capitalist accumulation and its colonial scaffolding,” the article continued.

Acts of terror and violence have been long been utilized by various Mapuche terrorist groups in recent years as leaders call for the restoration of ancestral lands and self-determination.

At the time of their election, the 155 constitutional convention members had a 9-month period to present the new constitutional text. If they reach that deadline, the plebiscite to approve or reject the new constitution is expected to be held in mid-2022.

“Chile should not be afraid of plurinationality, as it allows the State and the communities to have relations that recognize the particularities of the original and Indigenous peoples and their demands,” said Former President Michelle Bachelet.