Santiago de Chile, August 11 (RHC)-- More protests took place in southern Chile in support of the Mapuche cause and 27 Mapuche prisoners on hunger strike in several prisons in the Araucania region.

In the town of Cañete, in the Bío Bío region, more than 200 people gathered in the town's Caupolicán square and marched towards the center of the city, which ended in clashes between demonstrators and police who dispersed them with tear gas and water cannons.

At least four people were arrested as a result of the disturbances and traffic was paralyzed, while many establishments were closed.

At the same time, in Santiago de Chile, the Supreme Court received an appeal for protection filed on behalf of Machi Celestino Córdova, so that the Mapuche spiritual advisor could serve part of his sentence under total house arrest, although the judges will have 24 hours to decide whether to admit or reject this allegation.

Córdova was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2014 after being charged with the murder of a married couple in La Araucanía, in a controversial trial that was criticized for a series of irregularities, as reported at the time by magistrates and other personalities.

Córdova sent a message to social networks on Tuesday, which many here interpret as a farewell to the approach of his death, due to his broken health, on the 100th day of his liquid hunger strike.

Córdova and 26 other Mapuche prisoners, also in serious condition, are holding this protest to demand that the government comply with Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization, which would allow them to spend part of their sentences in their respective communities.