Chilean government rejects Defense Minister's calls to scrap indigenous rights laws

The Chilean government has rejected calls to modify or withdraw from ILO Convention 169 and the Lafkenche Law following controversial remarks by Defense Minister Fernando Barros. Barros previously characterized these regulations as a “risk to the country,” arguing that they provide differentiated treatment based on ethnic origin, which he claims creates social division and impacts national security.

Claudio Alvarado, the biminister of Interior and Government Spokesperson, distanced the administration from Barros's statements. Alvarado emphasized that Convention 169 was ratified by the National Congress, remains fully in effect, and that the current administration respects it entirely. He noted that the Defense Minister's comments represented a personal opinion based on his specific portfolio.

The Socialist Party of Chile (PS) also expressed “concern and disagreement” regarding the minister's stance. The party argued that presenting the recognition of indigenous rights and coastal marine spaces as a threat to national security is “improper.” The PS called for authorities to express themselves with responsibility to avoid stigmatizing indigenous peoples or weakening trust in democratic institutions.