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Summary

In 2010, 20 Mapuche prisoners in Chile initiated a hunger strike to protest the use of the Anti-terrorism Law against them. The strike grew to include 34 prisoners and gained support from congressmen who also fasted. After negotiations, the government dropped the terrorism charges and promised law reform, though the Anti-Terrorism Law remained in place.

Tactics used

Tactics used

Background

The Mapuche, Chile’s largest indigenous group, have faced land dispossession and forced relocation since the 19th century. The Chilean government used the Anti-terrorism Law, originally enacted under Pinochet, to prosecute Mapuche activists in military courts, allowing secret investigations, anonymous witnesses, and harsher sentences including loss of citizenship. The prisoners demanded an end to this law’s application, fair trials, demilitarization of their lands, and the release of political prisoners.

What happened

On July 12, 2010, 20 Mapuche prisoners began a hunger strike to protest charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act [source: nv-database]. Over the next two months, 14 additional prisoners joined, including two youths from a detention center [source: nv-database]. On August 12, family members traveled to Valparaíso to meet with Congress and the Supreme Court Chief Justice, accompanied by the NGO Liberar [source: nv-database]. On September 9, four congressmen from the Human Rights Commission began fasting in solidarity, prompting President Pinera to propose reforms to the Terrorist Act, which the strikers rejected [source: nv-database]. On October 1, 24 strikers signed an agreement with the government: terrorism charges were dropped and re-filed as common crimes, and the government promised law reform [source: nv-database]. The remaining ten strikers signed on October 8, though they expressed dissatisfaction [source: nv-database]. Since then, the Mapuche have continued to face persecution under the Terrorist Act, with further hunger strikes in 2011 and a march of 10,000 people in Santiago [source: nv-database].

Key people & organizations

  • Mapuche prisoners
  • Patricia Trancoso
  • Liberar
  • Human Rights Commission
  • President Sebastian Pinera
  • President Michelle Bachelet
  • Supreme Court Chief Justice Milton Juica

Outcome

Verdict: partial.

The campaign achieved partial success: the government dropped terrorism charges and re-filed them as common crimes, but failed to enact real reform of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which continues to be used against Mapuche activists [source: nv-database].

Lessons

  • Hunger strikes can generate significant moral pressure and media attention, especially when combined with solidarity actions from allies.
  • Coalition-building with political allies can help escalate pressure on the government.
  • Partial concessions may be achieved even when long-term legislative reform remains elusive.

Sources

Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.

Sources & verification

  • nv-database — grounding: primary — license: link-only
  • Rewritten: 2026-06-25 via worker_casestudies_v2.py

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