Six months after the unexplained disappearance of Mapuche land defender Julia Chuñil, Chilean civil society has intensified its demands for justice and accountability. On May 9, 2025, under persistent rain, hundreds of activists rallied in Santiago and across the country, denouncing the state’s inaction and the media’s silence regarding her case.
A Life Dedicated to Land and Culture
At 72, Julia Chuñil Catricura was the president of the Putreguel Indigenous Community in Máfil, located in Chile’s Los Ríos region. She lived on 900 hectares of native forest, protecting sacred species and opposing the encroachment of the forestry industry. Her activism made her a target of harassment and threats from local businessman Juan Carlos Morstadt, who sought to acquire the land for commercial purposes. Before her disappearance, Chuñil reportedly told her family, “If anything happens to me, you know who did it” .
Protesters Demand Accountability
The May 9 demonstration, organized by the Espacio Día a día por Julia Chuñil collective, targeted four key state institutions: CONADI (National Indigenous Development Corporation), the National Prosecutor’s Office, the Supreme Court, and the former National Congress. Activists accused CONADI of complicity, alleging it facilitated land transfers to Morstadt despite his history of threats against Chuñil .
Lucía Sepúlveda, an activist with the Ethical Committee Against Torture, criticized the National Prosecutor’s Office for its inconsistent handling of the case, noting that four different prosecutors had been assigned without any significant progress .
Broader Context of Impunity
Chuñil’s case is part of a troubling pattern of violence against Indigenous and environmental defenders in Chile. Similar cases include the murders of Macarena Valdés, Emilia Bau, and Pablo Marchant, often linked to conflicts with the forestry industry and the presence of former military personnel in private security forces .
Lucio Cuenca, director of the Latin American Observatory of Environmental Conflicts (OLCA), emphasized that the lack of justice in these cases reflects a broader issue of state complicity and impunity .
Calls for Action
Activists are urging the Chilean government to:
- Conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into Chuñil’s disappearance.
- Implement protective measures for environmental and Indigenous defenders.
- Hold accountable those responsible for threats and violence against activists.
The movement has gained international support, with demonstrations held outside Chilean embassies and consulates worldwide. As the search for Julia Chuñil continues, the demand for justice grows louder, reflecting a collective refusal to accept silence in the face of injustice.
For more information and updates on the case, visit Pressenza.
