In a message on Twitter, the progressive alliance, of which two acting presidents and several former presidents of 15 countries are part, described this election as great news for the peoples of Latin America.

‘We congratulate Loncon, a Mapuche woman who was elected president of the Constitutional Convention of Chile. Justice won, democracy won, peace among the peoples,’ stressed the Puebla Group, which was founded two years ago and has become one of the most important progressive blocs of the region.

On Sunday, the renowned Mapuche intellectual was elected to head the Constitutional Convention that will draft Chile’s new Constitution.

Loncon, 58, is an academic at the University of Santiago and is considered the most important connoisseur of the Mapuche language in her country.

She pointed out that her election is an expression of the assembly members’ determination to draft a Constitution that makes room for multicultural, plurinational Chile, which defends the rights of women and minorities and care for nature.

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