The regional prosecutor of La Araucanía, Roberto Garridoreported on Friday, January 13 -in the framework of the public account of the Public Ministry of that region- that the complaints associated with crimes of rural violence decreased by more than 40% in 2022 compared to 2021.
According to Third, the Public Ministry registered in 2021 977 complaints for crimes of rural violence; in 2022 there were 561, that is, a decrease of 43%.
On the causes of this loss, the prosecutor Garrido pointed out that, although it is difficult to establish what exactly is due to it, he pointed to two pillars. The first is linked to the preventive actions of the Investigative Police (PDI), Carabineros and the Army -the latter institution within the framework of the State of Exception in force in the area-.
“Another pillar would be the persecution policy that we have implemented in the region regarding some phenomena. This is what has determined, for example, the arrest of people linked to violent groups,” Garrido said.
Along these lines, the prosecutor pointed to “the persecution of some criminal phenomena that generate these acts of violence regarding the theft of wood, drug trafficking and also the violation of the Arms Control Law.”
Other figures
The Regional Prosecutor’s Office of La Araucanía also revealed that complaints for the crimes of usurpation and damage decreased by 74% in 2022 compared to 2021. The Public Ministry registered 501 in 2021, while in 2022 they reached 173.
Regarding the complaints for the crime of threats, these experienced a 56% decrease in 2022 compared to 2021. The Prosecutor’s Office of La Araucanía registered 253 in 2021; in 2022 they reached 110.
The Public Ministry of La Araucanía also registered variations in the events of greater social connotation, which consider arson attacks, homicides and armed attacks.
The number of complaints for these crimes began to increase since 2019, with 73. In 2020 it scored 123; in 2021, 169, and in 2022 it registered a drop, with 157 complaints.
Carabineros figures also reported a decrease in rural violent crimes in the Araucanía Region. Specifically, in 2022 -until December 11- the institution carried out fewer police procedures regarding usurpation (245 in 2021 and 73 in 2022, a drop of 70.2%), damages (95 in 2021 and 42 in 2022, a decrease in 55.8%), attacks and threats against the authority (85 in 2021 and 44 in 2022, variation of 48.2%), among others.
