...On Monday, May 12, 2025, Jaime Javier Uribe Montiel, partner of Machi Millaray Huichalaf —Mapuche spiritual authority and defender of the Pilmaiquén River— was detained by Chilean police officers while accompanying the Machi on a healing journey through the country. The arrest occurred during a police checkpoint on the road to Temuco and, according to witnesses, was carried out without a warrant and with no prior warning.

The events took place around 4:30 p.m. on the highway to Temuco during what appeared to be a routine operation. However, officers acted without presenting any judicial order and transported Jaime to the city of Lautaro against his will. The arrest —witnessed and documented by bystanders— left Machi Millaray and her minor son stranded on the roadside after officers confiscated the keys to the family vehicle. Jaime was released the following day but remains subject to judicial proceedings...

This incident is the latest in a series of recent detentions, harassment, and raids, including the arbitrary detention of Felipe Trunci González, a member of the Aylla Rewe of the Ngen Mapu Kintuantü, on April 25. These events appear to form part of a systematic pattern of criminalization and violence against defenders in the context of opposition to projects led by the Norwegian state-owned company Statkraft, whose pressure to begin operations at the Los Lagos Hydroelectric Plant has intensified —despite the lack of free, prior, and informed consent from the affected communities and in disregard of their rights and spiritual practices.

In recent weeks, the General Manager of Statkraft Chile has publicly expressed frustration over what she described as excessive delays in the project’s launch due to permit requirements, while denying any responsibility on the part of the company. These statements contribute to a climate of delegitimization of the Mapuche Williche communities’ human rights defense, further enabling the current wave of criminalization...