The Conflict of the Hydroelectric

But in High Bio Bio has been anything but quiet. Especially in recent years. And not only by opposition to the construction of hydroelectric power attracted. So have the historical claims on land pehuenches in private hands.

Both processes have led to unfortunate incidents such as arson, injunctions and even with fatalities.

When in the early 90s began to build the plant Pangue, indigenous and environmental organizations mobilized to reject the project. But with the Ralco plant, judicial opposition and in fact came to jeopardize the project, which has suffered two separate delays in its implementation. Now fully operational state.

Access roads were cut, an attempt was made trucks of contractors, there were clashes with police, should be required for violation of the Terrorism Act that sentenced a leader to five years in prison. The most critical years were in August 1998 and early 2001.

Land claims are based on cultural and economic importance of land to the impoverished indigenous families, now confined to a territory that does not allow its sustainability. Most of them live in communities with market titles from the early last century.

During these decades the population has seen strong growth but the surface remains the same. The conflict is rooted in Queuco River Basin, specifically in the farms and Trapa Trapa Queuco and in the summers of the same, but also reaches the Ralco National Reserve, on the Bio Bio drawer.

The saddest episode was experienced on 13 July 2002 when a conflict within the community Cauñicu the way it was the "land reclamation action" ended with the deaths of two pehuenches and wounded 10 others .

Amid these protest actions, almost dine settler families or small farmers, still awaits a definitive solution after being transferred from the mountains to the outskirts of Santa Barbara.