The complex security situation in the country in recent weeks, with attacks on police officers that have resulted in the death of a sergeant in Quilpué and another uniformed officer attacked in the capital of La Araucanía, has prompted the authorities to react.
The mayor of Temuco, Roberto Neira Aburto (PPD), has been emphatic in defining what is happening in the country around crime, stating that “what we are experiencing today is “urban terrorism.” Therefore, “we need several actions to be carried out, including granting greater powers to the municipalities. We cannot continue to be the last in prevention and reaction,” he said.
The community chief made a direct call to the parliamentarians to legislate and end the “political fights”, and to approve a short law that grants greater powers to the Carabineros and the municipalities. “Security is a national priority. What happened in Temuco, where a police officer was approached by four foreigners, speaks of organized crime that is not afraid of killing people, that is why I am referring to urban terrorism that generates fear in citizenship,” said Neira.
It is worth mentioning that a police officer who was waiting for collective locomotion was assaulted on Saturday morning in Temuco. As confirmed by the Public Ministry, the event occurred around seven in the morning at the intersection of O’Higgins and Santa Margarita streets, when a van with four individuals suddenly stopped its march in front of the whereabouts, and two of them got out from inside. they, who intimidated the police officer with what appeared to be a firearm and beat him with their feet and fists.
Although Mayor Neira stressed that there has been good coordination with the Government, he stated that there are “limits” in terms of capacity for action. “Our force in citizen security is limited. We have proposed that we, with a larger budget, be in charge of administrative tasks, such as notifications or traffic control, freeing the police so that they are on the street on security issues” he explained.
Finally, Mayor Neira emphasized that “Parliament must make a strong self-criticism regarding security issues. We cannot waste time on political fights or constitutional accusations that do not solve anything. We must all work together, otherwise, at the end of the day, we will all lose.”
