Original article: “Kaiser quiere eliminar una Ley que no conoce”: Los cuestionamientos al candidato por “rechazo visceral” de Ley Lafkenche
Presidential Candidate Johannes Kaiser Responds to Anti-Lafkenche Law Stance: «It’s a Visceral Rejection (…), What Needs to be Eliminated is Ignorance»
In recent statements, presidential candidate Johannes Kaiser expressed his intention to abolish the Lafkenche Law, an important legal framework for protecting the coastal areas of indigenous peoples. His comments, made in various forums, have sparked significant backlash from civil society, which defends the law as a cornerstone of justice and sustainability.
In an interview a few months ago with the specialized outlet Salmón Expert, Kaiser shared his views on the salmon farming industry. When asked about his stance on the sector’s growth, he stated: «I believe that the national salmon farming, as a competitive industry, should have all the possibilities to continue developing and conquering markets internationally.» He added that it’s necessary to «make available to the industry the spaces needed for its appropriate growth,» announcing plans to address challenges arising from regulations like the Lafkenche Law, insisting that «we deem that the Lafkenche Law must disappear.»
Kaiser’s stance was further reinforced on social media, where he claimed in a post on platform X, mentioned during a public debate: «Anti-Chilean indigenism must disappear from our legislation. We want more and better industrial activities to generate resources for Chileans. Going back to the 15th century is not a valid or desirable option.» These statements have been interpreted as a blatant rejection of the self-governance rights and territorial management of the indigenous peoples enshrined in Chilean law.
Response to Kaiser: Defense of the Lafkenche Law Based on Concrete Data
In response to these proposals, Coastal Marine Space Platform publicly reflected on social media, questioning Kaiser’s arguments. They pointed out that the candidate proposes to repeal the law «but never mentions it with data, nor visits a Coastal Marine Space [Espacio Costero Marino de Pueblos Originarios], or cites a report.» Reminding of the law’s origins, they noted that it was «born in 2008 after decades of Mapuche-Lafkenche struggle, protects and ensures sustainable use of the coast, with shared governance,» and was highlighted by international organizations as a «global example of justice for indigenous peoples and environmental rights.»
The defense of the Lafkenche Law is also based on concrete data. The platform cited that Sernapesca has not reported ANY formal complaints in their reports on the law’s implementation, dismantling the argument that the regulation would pose a conflictual obstacle. In light of this evidence, the organization accused Kaiser of resorting to a «visceral rejection» that «activates the amygdala before reason,» declaring: «Leading requires knowledge. Protecting requires listening. Eliminating without reading would be blind governance.» The message concluded with a powerful warning: «The Lafkenche Law is a bridge to collective and sustainable development. Breaking it without understanding is breaking the future.»
The platform questions in its Instagram post: “Eliminating what one does not know?” and responds: «What needs to be eliminated is ignorance.»