On May 30, the Federal Broadcasting Commission (COMFER) granted the first operating
license to an indigenous radio station in the Mapuche Indian community of Linares.
Living in Argentina’s mountainous southern province of Neuquén,
the small community of 700 is the first of an expected eight indigenous communities
to receive operating licenses from COMFER. For the past six years the station
has illegally broadcasted its two programs focused on both Mapuche and Latin
American issues.
In addition to scheduled programming, the Spanish language station serves as the community’s main source of information during the harsh winter months. Víctor Altimán, the political leader of the Linares, expects the station to aid the community in daily life by raising awareness of the issues facing the Mapuche.
