In Argentina’s Comarca Andina, recent wildfires have caused widespread devastation and prompted aggressive crackdowns by the government against local Indigenous communities. While climate scientists link increasing temperatures to wildfire risks, authorities deflect blame towards alleged criminality and cut crucial environmental funding. Indigenous leaders criticize state repression, likening it to past military dictatorship strategies, as they work to demand justice and accountability for the environmental devastation they face.
Soraya Maicoñio lives in Mallín Ahogado, a rural area in Argentina’s Comarca Andina, notable for its rivers, mountains, and forests. Recently, this region, straddling Rio Negro and Chubut provinces, has gained attention due to devastating wildfires and a harsh governmental response towards residents. Since January, over 35,000 hectares of forest and farmland have burned, exacerbated by a dry summer and intense winds from the Andes.
Maicoñio, a Mapuche singer and actor, highlights the violent nature of the fires and the immense loss faced by the community—hundreds have been evacuated, and many families have lost significant property, including homes, orchards, and cultural spaces. This is not the first occurrence; similar fires in 2021 resulted in deaths and widespread destruction, pointing to an alarming trend in the region.
Despite climate scientists linking rising temperatures to increased wildfire risks, authorities shift blame towards criminal acts by the locals, minimizing the roles played by tourism, pine plantations, and poorly maintained electrical infrastructure. President Javier Milei has dismissed the climate crisis, labeling it a “socialist lie” and reducing funding for environmental agencies, which critically impairs firefighting efforts.
His administration has faced backlash from environmentalists and community leaders, who are increasingly subjected to violence and surveillance. In retaliation to wildfires, law enforcement has aggressively pursued arrests, with simultaneous raids conducted across Mapuche communities, focusing on alleged links to the fires, despite no solid evidence.
Mauro Millán, a Mapuche organizer, criticized government actions as reminiscent of wartime tactics, observing an overwhelming climate of fear among the communities due to threats of eviction and state repression. He emphasizes that the intensifying state persecution parallels the violations of legal rights seen during Argentina’s military dictatorship.
Additionally, Indigenous media outlets, such as Radio Petü Mogeleiñ, faced raids resulting in damaged equipment that hindered their ability to broadcast, severely impacting Indigenous rights. The prosecutor’s office has declined to clarify ongoing investigations, further clouding justice for affected communities.
Conflict over land use in the region has escalated as the government prioritizes mining and tourism, notably in municipal areas embedding new laws favoring multinational corporations. Activists warn that decades of promoting non-native pine planting has aggravated fire risks, as these trees flourish post-fire, leading to a cycle of increased flammability.
The devastation inflicted upon Indigenous people is heightened in territorial disputes, highlighted by the long-standing opposition between Mapuche communities and private landholders like the Benetton subsidiary. Ongoing skirmishes surround mining projects and lands claimed by companies like Patagonia Gold, magnifying historic injustices.
Lawyer Sonia Ivanoff remarked that the lack of recognition of Indigenous land rights fosters chronic land disputes, with government narratives often criminalizing leadership in these communities. Despite constitutional guarantees for Indigenous rights, policies under Milei have dismantled key protections and intensified the legal and extrajudicial targeting of Mapuche individuals.
Governor Ignacio Torres and Security Minister Patricia Bullrich have led campaigns against Mapuche activists, labeling them terrorists, echoing historical injustices. Collaborative security measures between Argentina and Chile have further criminalized Indigenous resistance, spotlighting how perceptions of activism have been twisted into security threats.
Victims of these state actions reliably call for justice against those truly responsible for the fires and associated devastations. Mauro Millán notes that Mapuche communities demand accountability for the infernos affecting their lands, recognizing that a functional government response is critical amid emerging environmental crises.
The wildfires devastating Argentina’s Comarca Andina have led to significant environmental destruction and severe government crackdowns on Indigenous communities. President Milei’s administration has prioritized repressive measures over ecological protections, framing climate change as a non-issue while dismantling critical services. The climate of fear among Indigenous populations escalates as they face persecution and land conflicts amidst the ongoing environmental crisis, calling for a reckoning over rights and justice.
Original Source: www.theguardian.com
