MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile's Senate extends state of exception in southern regions

Minister Tohá said no measure was to be ruled out a priori

Chile's Senate Tuesday approved by 23 votes in favor, 1 against, and 18 abstentions a 15-day extension to the state of emergency in the Araucanía region and in the provinces of Arauco and Biobío, in the Biobío region, it was reported in Santiago. The Lower House had endorsed the measure with 104 votes in favor, 24 against, and 12 abstentions.

After more than a year in force, the state of exception allows the Armed Forces to be deployed to support police operations in the area, without being authorized to carry out such procedures on their own.

The opposition pointed to the arson attack perpetrated last Saturday at the Camán Wind Farm, located on the border of the communes of Paillaco and Valdivia, where 13 trucks were destroyed.

Although Interior Minister Carolina Tohá insisted that no legal measure was to be “ruled out a priori,” Undersecretary Manuel Monsalve stressed that the acts of violence in Los Ríos were tantamount to 3.5% of the total number of cases in the area.

Tuesday's was the Government's 26th request to extend the State of Exception in the Southern Macro-zone and came amidst requests from the opposition to include the Los Ríos Region.