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DE RUEHSG #0942/01 2951924
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P 211924Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
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UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000942 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SOCI PHUM KCOR SCUL CI
SUBJECT: NORTHERN CHILE:  CORRUPTION AND LOW-LEVEL 
INDIGENOUS TENSION CHAFE LOCAL POLITICS 
 
REF: A. SANTIAGO 733 
     ¶B. SANTIAGO 767 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  In Chile's northernmost city, Arica, 
relations between the indigenous Aymara community and the 
overwhelmingly non-indigenous local political leadership are 
somewhat strained.  Nonetheless, the indigenous community has 
successfully fought central government decisions that they 
opposed and is committed to resolving political problems 
peacefully.  Arica has more than its share of corruption 
challenges--a notable exception in a country known for its 
transparency--with allegations of vote-buying, a mayor 
recently convicted of fraud, and an accusation that the 
leading mayoral candidate has accepted inappropriate 
contributions.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) Until the War of the Pacific (1879-1883), Arica was a 
part of Peru, separated from Chile by the larger city of 
Iquique, 300 kms to the south, and the Bolivian port of 
Antofagasta, 700 kms south of Arica.  Chile's victory against 
Peru and Bolivia changed this, extending Chilean territory to 
these northern cities and cutting off Bolivia's access to the 
sea.  While more than 100 years old, this history is still a 
critical part of relations between the three countries, with 
Peru recently having filed a claim at the International Court 
of Justice to redefine the maritime border between the two 
countries, and Bolivia making periodic grumblings about 
wanting to re-gain sea access.  Poloff met with elected 
officials, law enforcement officers, business leaders, press, 
academic officials, and indigenous leaders in the Arica and 
Parinacota region of northern Chile October 1-3.  Septels 
will report on border challenges and economic issues in the 
region. 
 
Resentment and Frustration, But No Violence, Among Aymaras 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Arica's population of indigenous Aymaras--identified 
as about 40,000 of the 200,000 people in Arica--account for 
nearly all the Aymaras in Chile.  Nonetheless, they are 
dwarfed on the national political scene by the much more 
numerous Mapuche who live south of Santiago.  The Aymaras 
suffered greatly under the "Chilenization" policies of 
decades past in which speaking in their native tongue was 
illegal and traditional Aymara culture was discouraged. 
Today, the few Aymara towns which exist in this 
overwhelmingly urban province are dying out as residents move 
to the city for jobs and better schools and only the elderly 
are left behind. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Indigenous leaders in the small altiplano town of 
Putre and in the capital, Arica, complained that Chile's 
highly centralized government makes it difficult for their 
voices to be heard about decisions--like granting mining 
licenses--that affect them directly.  But despite their 
protestations of weakness, on several occasions the 
indigenous community has banded together to successfully 
fight economic development plans with negative environmental 
impacts.  And while many Aymara leaders complain about being 
ignored, there are also some critical voices within the 
community who say that the Aymara are overly reliant on the 
state's paternalism. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Unlike the sometimes violent Mapuche struggle to 
the south, the Aymaras have resolved their differences 
peacefully and are considered to be very well integrated by 
Luis Rocafull, the "intendente" or centrally appointed 
governor of the province.  Aymara leaders in Putre and Arica 
reported close ties with other Aymaras in Bolivia and Peru, 
and Hortencia Hidalgo, President of the Indigenous Women's 
Council, said that she and other community members are trying 
to work with the Mapuche to move beyond a cultural agenda to 
one that is more political, including proposals to amend the 
constitution to recognize indigenous people; greater 
autonomy; control over territory (e.g. similar to Native 
American reservations in the U.S.); and increasing indigenous 
participation in Chile's legislature. 
 
Corruption and the Mayoral Election 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) In a country that is consistently ranked by 
Transparency International as Latin America's least corrupt, 
 
this city of 200,000 is responsible for a disproportionate 
share of Chile's relatively few scandals.  A number of local 
politicians, including the former mayor, have been convicted 
of embezzling and misuse of public office, often related to 
municipal services performed by their businesses.  Socialist 
Diputado Ivan Paredes suggested that the current front-runner 
in the mayoral race, Waldo Sankan, has also been involved in 
corruption.  "If he's not affiliated with any party or 
coalition, who is paying to run his campaign?" the deputy 
rhetorically asked. (Note:  Sankan recently left the Party 
for Democracy (PPD) to run as an independent when the 
center-left Concertacion alliance, which includes the PPD, 
backed Radical Social Democrat (PRSD) member Patricio Zapata. 
 The latest polls show Sankan with a slight lead over 
conservative Alianza candidate Nino Baltolu, with Zapata in 
third place.  End Note.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU) While Intendente Rocafull contended that corruption 
was minimal and always detected eventually, members of the 
indigenous community told Poloff that vote-buying and fraud 
were widespread.  For example, they alleged that mayoral and 
city council candidates routinely set up day trips targeted 
at Aymaras living in Arica but with roots (and voter 
registration addresses) in the small town of Putre. 
Participants are bused to Putre for a day of fun at the 
thermal springs and a free lunch, taken to vote, and then 
paid USD 150 for participating.  As a result, while Putre has 
a permanent population of about 1,200 adults, 5,000 to 6,000 
votes are cast there in local elections.  In a separate 
incident, the mayor of Putre was recently featured in a 60 
Minutes-style TV show in an expose of officials who misuse 
official trips overseas. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Chile's Aymara community takes a peaceful 
approach to resolving political conflict, a welcome contrast 
to the sporadic violence used by some extremist Mapuche in 
the eighth and ninth regions of Chile.  Nonetheless, the 
community feels ignored by all sides--local government, 
central government, and political parties.  Arica's 
corruption challenges, while not severe, are notable given 
the country's overall squeaky-clean image.  END COMMENT. 
SIMONS