translated from Spanish: Jujuy: indigenous community reported that they damaged an archaeological site

The Aboriginal Community of Rodeo, which is located in the Jujuy Department of Humahuaca, today reported damage to an archaeological site in the area that contained petroglyphs, pictorial pieces and native flora.” We have suffered an invasion of the territory by machines of the Provincial Road Management, “said a reference of the community. Rosa Gonzalez, one of the members of this indigenous group, reported that at least two trucks arrived at the site and looted slab stones, which were guarding petroglyphs and pictographs. In turn, they uprooted native trees known as churquis. The complainants took aim at the leaders of the Cambia Jujuy Front, Noelia Quispe and Luisa Quiroga, who in turn are part of the community of Chorrillos, the nearby site where the events took place, who reportedly authorized access for the vehicles. Marcelo Vargas, another member of the community, said there are two choices about the events: “Either they did it intentionally to loot and sell the petroglyphs or they did it out of ignorance to use the slab stones.” The group reaffirmed that there was “irreparable damage” and repudiated the “lack of knowledge of the value of the affected sectors,” because “it is an ancient place of great value to our ancestors.”

Original source in Spanish