Chile: Government of Kast eliminates unit responsible for regularizing indigenous lands

Published at: 01/06/2026 02:04 PM

The Government of Chile, headed by José Antonio Kast, made official the abolition of the Indigenous Peoples Unit of the Ministry of National Assets, the body responsible for coordinating the regularization of land ownership of native communities. The administrative measure, formally published on March 19, was presented by the Central Executive as part of an internal restructuring plan protected by austerity policies.

This technical body was originally established in 1999 and later reformed in 2017 to align the country's legal framework with the international obligations acquired by the Chilean State, specifically with Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Through this department, the ministry managed essential services and the design of public policies for territorial protection for the original population.

The dissolution of the office provoked immediate reactions of rejection by legislators and specialists in indigenous law, who warn of a serious impact on community guarantees. Mapuche deputy Ericka Ñanco called the government decision a “structural setback”, while lawyer Rosa Catrileo Arias agreed on the questions, describing the measure as a “dismantling of previously consolidated rights”.

After the entry into force of the resolution, the destination of the land claim and delimitation files that were in full process remains under institutional uncertainty.

Various social and human rights organizations announced that they will evaluate the submission of legal remedies to demand the restitution of protection mechanisms, arguing the binding nature of existing international treaties.

Mazo News Team