Chilean police and military attempted to exhume the remains of a former member of the Mapuche insurgent group CAM on March 26th, 2025. The attempt was interrupted by gunfire likely emanating from members of CAM opposed to the exhumation.
[ATTACK]
On March 26, 2025, a police and military operation to exhume the remains of Pablo Marchant, a member of the Coordinadora Arauco Malleco (CAM), was interrupted by gunfire. The exhumation was planned in response to the family’s doubts over the official account of his death in 2021, which states he died in a firefight with police. The exhumation had already been blocked once in September 2024, and the operation was thwarted again when armed individuals fired on the convoy as it entered the Pidenco estate, near Lumaco, where Marchant's body lies.
Marchant’s burial in an eltun, a sacred Mapuche cemetery, and his association with the CAM, made the exhumation deeply controversial. According to a statement from the CAM, this action was a direct violation of their cultural and spiritual beliefs. In the communiqué sent to Werkén Noticias, the CAM reaffirmed its commitment to Marchant’s legacy, calling the exhumation an infringement on their territorial rights and dignity. The group criticized the family for pursuing the exhumation without considering the cultural and political ramifications, blaming them for escalating the conflict.
The incident underscores the ongoing tension in AraucanÃa, where some Mapuche continue to resist state control over their land. It also highlights the broader political struggle between the CAM and the Chilean government, with each side viewing the situation through deeply divergent political and cultural lenses.
Funeral of Pablo Marchant, Source: https://araucanianoticias.cl/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/operativo-en-lumaco-diligencias-por-exhumacion-de-exintegrante-de-la-cam-generan-disparos-y-cortes-de-camino.jpg
Sources
CAM. "Comunicado de Pu Ort-CAM." Werkén Noticias, 26 Mar. 2025, https://www.instagram.com/werken_noticias/p/DH2NysWx3FG/.
El Mostrador. "A Balazos Impiden Nuevamente Exhumación de Restos de Miembro de la CAM Pablo Marchant." El Mostrador, 26 Mar. 2025, https://www.elmostrador.cl/noticias/pais/2025/03/26/a-balazos-impiden-nuevamente-exhumacion-de-restos-de-miembro-de-la-cam-pablo-marchant/.
La Tercera. "Encapuchados Armados Atacan Comitiva de Carabineros, PDI y el Ejército Para Impedir Otra Vez Exhumación de Pablo Marchant." La Tercera, 26 Mar. 2025, https://www.latercera.com/nacional/noticia/encapuchados-armados-atacan-comitiva-de-carabineros-pdi-y-el-ejercito-para-impedir-otra-vez-exhumacion-de-pablo-marchant/.
Resumen Latinoamericano. "Nación Mapuche. ¿Por Qué la CAM Impide la Exhumación de Pablo Marchant?" Resumen Latinoamericano, 26 Mar. 2025, https://www.resumenlatinoamericano.org/2025/03/26/nacion-mapuche-porque-la-cam-impide-la-exhumacion-de-pablo-marchant/.