Association for Peace and Reconciliation in Araucanía
{{Infobox organization
| name = Asociación para la Paz y la Reconciliación en La Araucanía
| native_name =
| logo =
| region_served = {{CHL}}
| purpose = Anti-mapuche autonomism and separatism{{Cite web|url=http://www.jurischile.com/2021/05/se-ordena-asociacion-para-la-paz-y.html|title=Se ordena a Asociación para la Paz y Reconciliación en La Araucanía eliminar publicación ofensiva en Facebook por afectar la honra y menoscabar a miembros del pueblo mapuche|accessdate=2021-10-08|last=Ricardi|first=Mariana}}
Anti-indigenism
| leader_title = President
| leader_name = Francisco Alanís Porcella{{Cite web|url=https://interferencia.cl/articulos/francisco-alanis-porcella-el-poderoso-ex-suegro-que-protege-martin-pradenas|title=Francisco Alanis Porcella, el poderoso 'ex suegro' que protege a Martín Pradenas|accessdate=2021-12-01|last=Huanchumil|first=Paula}}{{Cite web|title=APRA Araucanía analiza últimos ataques incendiarios: "Quieren un estado de violencia permanente"|url=https://www.tvu.cl/prensa/tele-entrevista/2020/05/14/apra-araucania-analiza-ultimos-ataques-incendiarios-quieren-un-estado-de-violencia-permanente.html|publisher=Televisión Universidad de Concepción|date=May 14, 2020|accessdate=September 8, 2022}}
| leader_title2 = Vice President
| leader_name2 = Justo Gutiérrez
| language = Spanish
| formation = {{start date and age|2019|01}}
| founding_location = Temuco
| type = Political organization
}}
The Association for Peace and Reconciliation in Araucanía (In Spanish: {{lang|es|Asociación para la Paz y la Reconciliación en La Araucanía}}; APRA for short) is a civic movement in the Araucanía Region that condemns arson attacks associated with the regional conflict{{Cite web|title="Generan confusión" y "causan un clima de violencia": Agrupaciones de La Araucanía rechazan dichos de ministra Vega|url=https://www.emol.com/noticias/Nacional/2022/05/16/1061103/gremios-rechazan-dichos-ministra-vega.html|publisher=Emol|date=May 16, 2022|accessdate=September 8, 2022}} and advocates for the defense of farmers and forestry workers{{Cite web|title=Víctimas de violencia rural de la Macrozona Sur denuncian bajo patrullaje militar e insisten en ampliar estado de excepción|url=https://www.emol.com/noticias/Nacional/2022/08/23/1070665/victimas-violencia-nulo-patrullaje-macrozonasur.html|publisher=Emol|date=August 23, 2022|accessdate=September 8, 2022}} affected by attacks directly related to the Mapuche conflict.{{Cite web|title=Los gremios de La Araucanía que se rebelaron contra Moreno|url=https://ellibero.cl/actualidad/los-gremios-de-la-araucania-que-se-rebelaron-contra-moreno/|publisher=El Líbero|date=January 20, 2019|accessdate=September 8, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://mobile.twitter.com/aprachile?lang=es|title=Descripción en Twitter}} The organization has been described by media as far-right for its anti-indigenist rhetoric.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lazonacero.cl/noticias/nacional/anonymus-hackeo-pagina-apra/|title=Anonymous hackeó hoy página de APRA|accessdate=2021-02-23|date=October 4, 2020|website=La Zona Cero|language=es|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126055839/https://www.lazonacero.cl/noticias/nacional/anonymus-hackeo-pagina-apra/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.elclarin.cl/2020/08/07/la-ultraderecha-en-el-gobierno-y-la-escalada-impredecible-del-conflicto-chileno-mapuche/|title=La ultraderecha en el gobierno y la escalada impredecible del conflicto chileno mapuche|accessdate=2021-02-23|date=August 7, 2020|website=El Clarín de Chile|language=es}}{{Cite web|url=https://interferencia.cl/articulos/el-debut-de-victor-perez-turbas-protegidas-por-carabineros-atacan-mapuche-movilizados-por|title=El debut de Víctor Pérez: Turbas protegidas por Carabineros atacan mapuche movilizados por huelga de hambre, y empresarios lo justifican|accessdate=2021-02-23|date=August 3, 2020|website=Interferencia|language=es}}{{Cite web|url=https://araucaniadiario.cl/contenido/10611/comuneros-mapuche-interponen-recurso-de-proteccion-contra-apra|title=Comuneros Mapuche interponen recurso de protección contra APRA|accessdate=2021-03-28|date=March 25, 2021|website=Araucanía Diario|language=es}} The organization is also critical of Mapuche community members in the area, whom it has described as "violentists",{{cite web|title=Tribunales ordena a APRA eliminar comentarios ofensivos contra comuneros mapuches|url=https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/region-de-la-araucania/2021/05/01/tribunales-ordena-a-apra-eliminar-comentarios-ofensivos-contra-comuneros-mapuches.shtml|publisher=Biobío|date=May 1, 2021|accessdate=September 8, 2022}} and according to its vice president, the organization "documents on social media the attacks by Mapuches against the rest of the Araucanians" {{cite web|title=Los mapuches, ante la nueva constitución|url=https://www.lamarea.com/2021/09/08/los-mapuches-ante-la-nueva-constitucion/|publisher=La Marea|date=September 8, 2021|accessdate=September 8, 2022|quote=Justo Gutiérrez is a huinca, as they call Chileans of European descent. His farm, full of hazelnuts whose fruits will go to the Italians at Ferrero, is located in Vilcún, near the Quepe River. At the back of the land, up to six tractors can be seen burned: "They burned them all, they left us with nothing." He adds: "It’s an injustice to feel like a foreigner in the land where you were born." Gutiérrez is the vice president of the Association for Peace and Reconciliation in Araucanía (APRA), an organization that, according to him, documents on social media the attacks by Mapuches against the rest of the Araucanians. For the opposition, they only spread hatred and accuse the Mapuche of being violent.}}
History
The organization first appeared in January 2019, in response to land occupations, arson attacks on truckers from extractive companies, and murders that occurred in the region. Among these, the most notable are the attack on the couple Werner Luchsinger and Vivianne Mackay in 2013, the death of Juan Barrios in February 2020, and the homicide of Carabinero Eugenio Nain in October of the same year.{{cite web|url=https://www.latercera.com/nacional/noticia/carabinero-muere-baleado-en-medio-de-un-operativo-en-temuco/CULV5RROF5CSXNPTYCW7UFUJ5U/|title=Carabinero muere baleado en medio de un operativo en la Región de La Araucanía|accessdate=2020-12-14|author=Juan Pablo|date=October 30, 2020|website=La Tercera}}
Activities
Within the context of the incidents in the Araucanía in 2020, on July 27 of that year, Mapuche community members held demonstrations in various communes of the Araucanía region in support of the hunger strike led by machi Celestino Córdova. The gathering in Curacautín, a city in the region, ended with the municipality being occupied by Mapuche indigenist protesters, and it was evicted on August 1, 2020 {{cite web|url=https://www.t13.cl/noticia/nacional/videos-raiz-graves-incidentes-carabineros-desaloja-municipalidad-curacautin|title=T13 |accessdate=2020-12-14|website=www.t13.cl}} after a clash between local residents and supporters of Córdova's petition.{{cite web|url=https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/region-de-la-araucania/2020/07/25/diputados-oposicion-piden-al-gobierno-acceder-peticiones-celestino-cordova.shtml|title=Oposición pide a Gobierno acceder a peticiones de Celestino Córdova tras 80 días en huelga de hambre|accessdate=2020-12-14|date=July 25, 2020|website=BioBioChile - La Red de Prensa Más Grande de Chile|language=es}} Various Chilean media outlets report that APRA played a crucial role in the eviction, calling on residents to attend the municipality to end the violence.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnnchile.com/pais/curacautin-toma-municipio-mapuche-enfrentamiento_20200801/|title=Habitantes de Curacautín se enfrentan a comuneros mapuche que se tomaron el municipio|accessdate=2020-12-14|author=Chile C.N.N.|website=CNN Chile|language=es}}{{cite web|url=https://cooperativa.cl/noticias/pais/region-de-la-araucania/tensa-jornada-en-curacautin-multitud-busca-desalojar-toma-de-edificio/2020-08-01/230428.html|title=Tensa jornada en Curacautín: Multitud busca desalojar toma de edificio municipal|accessdate=2020-12-14|author=Cooperativa.cl|website=Cooperativa.cl|language=es}}{{cite web|url=https://www.eldesconcierto.cl/nacional/2020/08/19/bajo-la-impunidad-de-la-noche-las-querellas-en-que-se-acusa-a-civiles-y-carabineros-del-incendio-en-la-municipalidad-de-curacautin.html|title=Bajo la impunidad de la noche: Los testimonios que acusan a civiles y Carabineros del incendio en la municipalidad de Curacautín|accessdate=2020-12-14|website=El Desconcierto - Prensa digital libre|language=es}} During these evictions, civil protesters made "racist" chants against the Mapuche people, which, combined with destruction amid what appeared to be a passive stance from the Carabineros, caused national repercussions.{{cite web|url=https://radio.uchile.cl/2020/08/02/violenta-noche-en-la-araucania-desalojos-destrozos-y-enfrentamientos-en-distintos-municipios/|title=Violenta noche en La Araucanía: desalojos, destrozos y enfrentamientos en distintos municipios|accessdate=2020-01-22|website=Diario y Radio Universidad de Chile|language=es}}
APRA's activities include the dissemination of information such as news, meetings, propaganda, and political disputes over violence in the area, as well as the civil organization of farmers and victims of rural violence.{{cite web|url=https://www.ciperchile.cl/2020/08/05/el-informe-reservado-de-carabineros-sobre-los-grupos-de-autodefensa-de-agricultores-en-la-zona-mapuche/|title=El informe reservado de Carabineros sobre los grupos de autodefensa de agricultores en la zona mapuche – CIPER Chile|accessdate=2020-12-14|language=es}} Many of the news they have shared have been proven to be false.{{cite web|url=https://www.fastcheck.cl/2020/10/06/video-compartido-por-apra-chile-de-joven-rompiendo-una-camara-de-seguridad-en-plaza-baquedano-el-2-de-octubre-fake/|title=Video compartido por APRA Chile de joven rompiendo una cámara de seguridad en Plaza Baquedano el 2 de octubre: #Fake|date=October 6, 2020|website=Fast Check CL|language=es-CL}}{{cite web|url=https://plataformacontexto.cl/contexto_factual/las-cuentas-detras-de-las-fake-news-sobre-la-modificacion-de-los-simbolos-patrios-en-la-convencion-constitucional/|title=Las cuentas detrás de las fake news sobre la modificación de los símbolos patrios en la Convención Constitucional – Plataforma Contexto|date=December 1, 2021|language=es-CL}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fastcheck.cl/2023/02/10/gabriel-boric-la-culpa-la-tienen-los-vecinos-por-no-hacer-cortafuegos-falso/|title=Gabriel Boric: "La culpa la tienen los vecinos por no hacer cortafuegos": #Falso|author=Isidora Osorio|date=February 10, 2023|website=Fast Check 🔍|language=es-CL}} They were even ordered by the Court of Appeals of Temuco to remove content from their social media, as it was considered denigratory.{{Cite web|url=https://radio.uchile.cl/2021/04/28/por-comentarios-racistas-corte-de-temuco-acoge-recurso-de-comuneros-mapuche-y-ordena-a-apra-bajar-contenido-de-sus-redes-sociales/|title=Por comentarios racistas: Corte de Temuco acoge recurso de comuneros mapuche y ordena a APRA bajar contenido de sus redes sociales « Diario y Radio Universidad Chile|accessdate=2021-12-01|website=radio.uchile.cl|language=es-ES}}
Impact
Its followers have allegedly committed assaults against Manuela Royo, a lawyer who has sponsored various legal actions against the organization.{{Cite web|url=https://www.soychile.cl/Temuco/Sociedad/2021/02/23/695199/VIDEO-Candidata-a-constituyente-tras-ser-increpada-en-Temuco-Decian-rechazar-la-violencia-mientras-nos-amenazaban.aspx|title=[VIDEO] Candidata a constituyente tras ser increpada en Temuco: "Decían rechazar la violencia mientras nos amenazaban"|accessdate=2022-03-15|date=2021-02-23|website=SoyChile.cl}}{{Cite web|url=https://araucaniadiario.cl/contenido/10178/agreden-a-abogada-manuela-royo-durante-su-presentacion-de-candidatura-a-constituyentes|title=Agreden a abogada Manuela Royo durante su presentación de candidatura a constituyente|accessdate=2022-03-15|date=2021-02-24|website=Araucanía Diario}}
Gloria Naveillán, the spokesperson for the group, supported the candidate José Antonio Kast during the 2021 Chilean presidential election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eldesconcierto.cl/reportajes/2021/11/23/la-bancada-ultra-de-jose-antonio-kast-los-rostros-republicanos-que-llegaron-al-congreso.html|title=La bancada ‘ultra’ de José Antonio Kast: Los rostros republicanos que llegaron al Congreso|accessdate=2021-12-20|website=El Desconcierto}} This same person is mentioned in the 2015 report "Organized farmer groups and potential confrontation with indigenous community members" by Carabineros de Chile. It has been labeled as an extreme right organization by various online newspapers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.laizquierdadiario.cl/Que-es-la-APRA-la-organizacion-de-extrema-derecha-que-exige-Estado-de-sitio-en-La-Araucania|title=¿Qué es la APRA? La organización de extrema derecha que exige Estado de Sitio en La Araucanía|accessdate=2021-12-20|website=La Izquierda Diario - Red internacional}}