Eleven Mapuche communities living at Lleu LLeu’s lakeside announced they would “occupy” their ancestral lands that “legitimately belong to them” and take care of the lake by themselves, as Chilean policy in the Mapuche territories aims for militarization.

“The aim of this claim is to protect our Lleu Lleu lake in all aspects -spiritual, cultural and environmental- and be able to autonomously decide which is the development model we want, in pro of our peoples’ well being in communion with our Ñuke Mapu [Mother Earth],” the statement published on Wednesday reads.