Urgent Action: International Organization Demands Protection for Lonko Clementina Lepío After Attacks and Threats in Chiloé

Original article: Acción Urgente: Organismo internacional exige protección para lonko Clementina Lepío tras agresiones y amenazas en Chiloé

The Ancestral Authority Clementina Lepío Melipichun Faced Death Threats and Racist Insults While Participating in Wiñoy Tripantu, a Celebration Marking the New Cycle of Nature

The Urgent Action Fund for Latin America and the Caribbean (FAU LAC) expressed strong solidarity with Lonko Clementina Lepío Melipichun, ancestral authority of the Huilliche Alto del Fundo Gamboa Community and a member of the General Council of Williche Caciques of Chiloé, following violent incidents that occurred on June 20. While the indigenous leader participated in Wiñoy Tripantu—an ancestral Mapuche celebration heralding a new cycle of nature—she was confronted by an outsider who hurled death threats and racist insults. Local organizations have expressed their concern and initiated protection mechanisms while investigations seek to identify the aggressor, reportedly a former Carabineros officer.

See also / Chiloé: General Council of Williche Caciques Condemns Attacks on Lonko Lepio and Reaffirms Defense of Territory

These assaults represent a serious violation of the rights of an ancestral authority and highlight the ongoing violence faced by indigenous peoples defending their territories, cultures, and ways of life. Lonko Lepío, a well-known territorial and environmental defender, has been a vocal advocate for the preservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage in Chiloé, historically confronting conflicts related to extractive projects in the area. The organization Mujeres Insulares por el Agua has reported that the circumstances surrounding the incident have been forwarded to Carabineros with protection mechanisms established as per the Escazú Agreement, also urging the strengthening of networks of solidarity and mutual aid.

FAU LAC joined the call for competent authorities to promptly investigate these events, ensure effective protective measures for Lonko Clementina Lepío and the Huilliche Alto del Fundo Gamboa Community, and secure conditions for the full exercise of indigenous peoples’ rights. The organization warns that these incidents are not isolated but are set against a backdrop of increasing territorial conflict and structural racism affecting the original communities of southern Chile.

Chiloé: Reports of Racist Aggression and Death Threats Against Lonko Clementina Lepío

From the Urgent Action Fund, the commitment to defending the human rights of indigenous peoples and the importance of safeguarding the integrity of those who advocate for territory, nature, and collective rights was reiterated. The organization calls on the public and the international community to remain vigilant regarding the development of this situation and to demand that the Chilean state fulfills its obligations to protect ancestral authorities and their communities.

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