Wadalafken Communities Accuse Coastal Border Commission of Racism and Irregularities

Original article: Comunidades del Wadalafken acusan de racismo e irregularidades a Comisión de Borde Costero de Los Ríos

State Racism Allegations: CRUBC of Los Ríos Rejects Indigenous ECMPO Based on Political Criteria, Violating the Lafkenche Law

The Association of Indigenous Coastal Marine Space Applicants (ECMPO) Wadalafken publicly denounces acts of racism and irregularities committed by the Regional Commission for Coastal Border Use (CRUBC) of Los Ríos. During a session on January 8, the commission rejected much of the ECMPO request, limiting it to two polygons to be defined behind closed doors. The communities accuse the CRUBC of applying political criteria and a racist interpretation of the Lafkenche Law (20.249), prioritizing the idea that ECMPOs “should not disturb anyone” over their legal mandate to harmonize coastal use, and arbitrarily excluding areas with a significant presence and customary use by the communities.

Despite submitting a voluntary reduction proposal that excluded fishing coves, public projects, and areas designated for the Navy, the Government decided to reject the request. The association directly points to SUBPESCA, fishing zonal officer Nicolás Valdivia, and political operator Marco Ide Mayorga, whom they accuse of orchestrating a systematic misinformation campaign and fostering conflict. They also question the inaction of Governor Luis Cuvertino, president of the CRUBC, and challenge President Gabriel Boric’s Government to align their supportive statements regarding the Lafkenche Law with their actions.

For complete details of the complaint and the background of the process, please refer to the full public statement.

Public Statement from ECMPO Wadalafken: Racism and Irregularities at CRUBC Los Ríos

January 16, 2026

The Association of Coastal Marine Space Applicants ECMPO Wadalafken, in the Los Ríos region, wishes to express our deep dissatisfaction with the illegal and discriminatory actions of the CRUBC of Los Ríos regarding our Coastal Marine Space.

On January 8, the CRUBC of Los Ríos reconvened to decide the future of the ECMPO Wadalafken, where it was agreed to reject our request again, with the exception of two areas that could be integrated: a polygon to be defined in the Calfuco sector and a polygon to be defined between Punta Galera and La Barra del Wenuleufu (Rio Bueno), denying our rights in sectors with the highest presence of communities and uses recognized by CONADI.

These polygons will be determined again behind closed doors in the same “technical” kitchen of the CRUBC, based on a single criterion: only ECMPOs can be approved where they “do not disturb anyone,” because this Regional Commission has been incapable of fulfilling its role: its function is to harmonize and reconcile uses in the coastal area. With a deeply racist perspective and a tremendous lack of understanding of Lafkenche Law 20.249 and its associative spirit, they decide that ECMPOs and artisanal fishing are incompatible, thus must be rejected where such activities take place.

We wish to reiterate that throughout this lengthy process, we have sought dialogue, information sharing, and respect for the rights of all parties involved. As part of this, we presented a proposal for a voluntary reduction of the originally requested space, removing areas of interest for artisanal fishing, such as coves and their surrounding spaces, as well as designated zones for public investment projects over the next 30 years and sensitive areas for the Navy’s use.

In pursuit of concrete dialogue, a historic agreement was signed with the Universidad Austral de Chile and we welcomed the request of the Municipality of Valdivia to be part of the ECMPO, establishing an explicit commitment to respect artisanal fishing and including fishing unions that so requested.

Despite all our territorial work, proposals, and concrete commitments we presented, the Government decided to reject the ECMPO again. The CRUBC’s technical committee acted on political criteria rather than the technical criteria it should have; SUBPESCA utilized racist interpretations of the Law to justify the rejection, and the fishing zonal officer, Nicolás Valdivia, manipulated arguments to weaken our request.

We also denounce the actions of political operator Marco Ide Mayorga, who in his role as lifetime president of a federation of artisanal fishermen, has conducted a systematic campaign against ECMPO Wadalafken in particular, and against the Lafkenche Law in general, spreading lies and fostering conflict between fishermen and communities, seeking support from parliamentarians and political parties, and forming alliances with the salmon farming industry, even making presentations in other regions to disrupt the processes of various ECMPOs.

We question the weak performance of Governor Luis Cuvertino, in his role as a political authority and president of the CRUBC, who did not enforce the mandate to harmonize and reconcile coastal uses. The Presidential Delegation, despite showing willingness to coordinate and align interests, was unable to influence the final decision, undermining all our years of work.

We urge the government of Gabriel Boric, which has publicly expressed support and respect for the Lafkenche Law, but through the Ministry of Economy, is directly impacting the rejection of applications once they reach the CRUBC stage in various regions of the country.

The racist and discriminatory actions of the State do not surprise us: they are part of a historical strategy to weaken and exhaust us, seeking for us to abandon the fight for our rights. This strategy will not succeed. We have been resisting for over 500 years, and each adversity only strengthens our determination.

We will defend the ECMPO Wadalafken to the last consequences, for the memory of our kuifikecheyem -ancestors- and for the future of our daughters and sons.

¡MARRICHIWEW!