ActivistFreed after Being Penalized for Supporting Mapuche Community's Land Rights
Freedom for Victoria Nunez Fernandez: A Battle for Justice
On the schedule for May 12, 2025, Victoria Nunez Fernandez, a resident of the Lof Pillan Mawiza community in Chubut, Argentina, was due for a conditional release hearing, but the prosecution never made the request.
The reason behind Nunez Fernandez's initial detention was a controversial accusation of arson, following a series of raids across Chubut Province that targeted communities, homes, and even a radio station, all links to the Mapuche people. Despite the absence of substantial evidence, and due to allegations of judicial system collusion with the governor of Chubut province, she spent three grueling months behind bars.
Initially placed under house arrest, she was later confined to the city of Esquel. As the hearing was disappointed, she was finally released, yet the charges against her remain active.
Cry for Justice
Based on the ongoing events, Cultural Survival calls for:
- Unconditional and conclusive acquittal of Victoria Nunez Fernandez and her immediate release
- An end to the ignominious labeling and persecution of Mapuche individuals advocating for their ancestral territory
- Recognition and adherence by Argentine provincial and national authorities to international norms regarding the collective rights of Indigenous Peoples
The Mapuche Struggle
The Mapuche community in Chubut is currently suffering under the Milei administration, which has ramped up arrests and raids targeting Mapuche individuals and groups, branding them as "terrorists" in relation to environmental activism and land disputes. There have been consistent reports of aggressive police tactics, including mistreatment of elderly and vulnerable individuals during these raids. The community and human rights organizations claim these actions are politically motivated and are meant to suppress Indigenous rights and solidarity.
Organizations such as Cultural Survival have voiced their support for Nunez Fernandez's acquittal, as they see her prosecution as part of a larger pattern of state repression and the criminalization of Indigenous activism. This call for justice reflects wider concerns about the erosion of civil rights and environmental protections for Argentina’s Indigenous populations under the current government.
Although Nunez Fernandez is now a free woman, her case serves as a symbol in the ongoing struggle for justice and the recognition of Indigenous rights in Chubut. The situation remains fluid, and her ultimate legal status is still uncertain. Let us hope that with ongoing advocacy, justice will prevail, and the Mapuche community will finally find a voice.
- The ongoing battle for justice for Victoria Nunez Fernandez, a Mapuche activist in Chubut, Argentina, is not just about her individual case but also a political issue that involves general news about the suppression of Indigenous rights.
- The continued persecution of Mapuche individuals like Victoria Nunez Fernandez highlights the importance of addressing political issues related to their struggle for ancestral territory, as these events reflect on the broader context of Indigenous peoples' collective rights in the realm of international politics.
