On 16 May 2022, the Chilean government declared a state of emergency in the southern La Araucania region, as well as in nearby towns of the Arauco and Biobío provinces, in response to increasing violence related to land disputes between indigenous Mapuche communities and forestry companies. The state of emergency allows the redeployment of military troops to secure the area while the Chilean government seeks to mediate between the indigenous communities and various timber companies operating in the region. Violence in the region has largely consisted of Mapuche self-defense groups committing acts of arson and theft against companies they perceive as having encroached upon their ancestral lands. The Chilean military left the La Araucania region after former President Sebastian Pinera withdrew troops via presidential decree in October 2021.