Salmon Industry Accused of Orchestrating Misinformation Campaign Amid Threats to Environmental Defenders

Original article: “Campaña del terror y desinformación”: Dirigente lafkenche de Melinka apunta a industria salmonera detrás de amenazas

Salmon Industry Accused of Orchestrating Misinformation

The Court of Appeals of Coyhaique has issued a landmark ruling ordering Manuel Abalón, a former senatorial candidate from the Social Christian Party and a well-known supporter of Pinochet in the Aysén region, to remove all social media posts accusing environmental defenders of receiving money to sabotage salmon farming companies operating in Chile’s Patagonia. The court found that these accusations were damaging to their reputation and lacked factual basis, as reported by Radio Nuevo Mundo.

This judicial decision not only halts a disinformation campaign but also highlights a fundamental conflict that local communities have been decrying for years. Abalón had previously been involved in violent incidents in 2022 when he attacked former constituent and attorney Daniel Stingo during a rally for the «Approve» vote in Puyehue, as emphasized by Radio Nuevo Mundo.

Leader Denounces Industry Financing

Daniel Caniullan, chief of the Pu Wapi community of Guaitecas and a local fisherman, stated in an interview with Radio Nuevo Mundo that this action corresponds to a modus operandi maintained by salmon farming companies in the region to discredit the Lafkenche Law and environmental defenders: «They use various individuals to instill fear and terror, as part of a disinformation campaign».

The Mapuche-Lafkenche leader from Melinka recounted the tangible repercussions of this offensive: «In defending our millennia-old practices, we have received threats; they broke into my home, destroyed two doors, turned everything upside down, and other leaders have also faced threats.» Caniullan added that the aquaculture industry, along with parliamentarians, finances this campaign to uphold the interests of a sector that has caused serious environmental harm to the territory.

Environmental and Labor Damages

The aquaculture industry primarily operates under foreign capital, predominantly from Norway and Japan, exploiting around 1,294 hectares, with more than 50% located in protected areas such as San Rafael Lagoon, Queulat National Park, or the 5 Hermanas National Monument.

Nuevo Mundo’s publication also highlights that beyond environmental destruction, there’s another aspect impacting the workforce: over 93 workers have died while on the job in the last 13 years. As of 2026 alone, there have been 11, including the most recent case involving a 27-year-old from Coronel who passed away on July 2, according to records from Radio Nuevo Mundo.

Legal Warning and Senate Debate

Attorney Karina Riquelme, who filed the protection request to eliminate Abalón’s posts, praised the ruling but warned that the state is failing in establishing a free defense system to protect citizens against offenses or false publications and disinformation campaigns orchestrated by corporate groups or other powerful entities.

Currently, there is a proposed law in the Senate aimed at modifying the legal framework of the Lafkenche Law, restricting requests for protected coastal areas, pushed by Senators Iván Moreira, Alejandro Kusanovic, Rojo Edwards, and Fidel Espinoza.

The ruling from the Court of Appeals of Coyhaique sets a crucial precedent in defending environmental advocates against smear campaigns financed by large economic interests.

See the original post from Radio Nuevo Mundo. Access:

Mapuche-Lafkenche Leader from Melinka Denounces Terror Campaign Funded by the Aquaculture Industry