The Mapuche and government officials as portrayed by Chilean newspaper La Nacion’s coverage of the chilean-mapuche conflict, during the first government of Michelle Bachelet Jeria (2006-2010)

Abstract

In this article we analyze the ideology behind chilean newspaper La Nacion’s coverage of the chilean-mapuche conflict, specifically during the first government of Michelle Bachelet Jeria (2006-2010). We try to account for the way both indigenous subjects and government officials are portrayed, characterizing these types of actors, to later, in a second part, attempt to account for the general ideological landscape in which these constructs are inserted. We conclude that the coverage moves between three nodal points: first, “cultural recognition”, in which we find the indio permitido; second, “public security”, where we find the indio insurrecto. Both these nodal points always seem to imply the third one: “governmental competence”, understood as success and skill in generating political governance, a fundamental part of the Concertacion’s political project.