translated from Spanish: Intendant and burning of Baquedano: “I don’t think they have any notion of history”

The mayor of the Metropolitan Region, Felipe Guevara, referred to the attempt to burn the monument to General Manuel Baquedano, during the demonstrations held on Friday afternoons in Plaza Italia.La authority noted that although the sculpture could not be burned by the materials that make up it, he stated that “yesterday was not a demonstration, it was a combination of protesters with criminals , with violentists.” I do not believe that these vandas have any idea of our history, that they have some information about what has been going on in the history of Chile, nor of Baquedano’s participation,” he said. Guevara insisted that “it is not Baquedano that produces the problem, because the churches were also burned down, supermarkets were burned down, the warehouses were looted and the Violeta Parra Museum was also destroyed.” He also noted that Piazza Italia, dubpointed by protesters as Place de la Dignidad, has traditionally been a meeting point for celebrations and protests “and is fine, to the extent that they are peaceful,” but recalled that “there is a limit, which is anti-democratic violence, which is what happened last night,” he added. Asked about new mobilizations announced for the coming days, Guevara noted that “different demonstrations have been authorized that have called for conformity with the Intendency. One in Pedro Aguirre Cerda and one in the Forest. The first would be 40 people and the second of 50. Authorization in covid mode”. Finally, he referred to the Army’s request to move and relocate the statue of Baquedano and stated that the Intendency has no involvement in that decision, “it is the institution that asks National Monuments for the transfer.”

Original source in Spanish