Germany has signaled it will engage Chile's new right-wing administration over media reports that the government may withdraw plans to create a memorial at a site established by a German cult leader and convicted sex offender.
"The German government supports the project to establish a memorial in Chile. We will continue discussions on this, especially in light of this new information," a foreign ministry spokesperson said at a government press conference, reiterating Berlin's backing for the memorial proposal.
The reports cited Chile's housing minister, Ivan Poduje, as saying he would reverse the prior government's decision on the grounds of financial considerations. La Tercera newspaper attributed the comments to Poduje.
The location at the center of the dispute is an enclave originally known as Colonia Dignidad, later renamed Villa Baviera. It was set up in 1961 by Paul Schaefer, an evangelical preacher who led a cult and was later convicted of repeatedly sexually abusing children. Schaefer died in 2010 while serving a 20-year sentence.
Under Augusto Pinochet's 1973-1990 right-wing dictatorship, the 290-acre (117-hectare) community also functioned as a clandestine detention site used by military forces to torture political prisoners. In response to those abuses, Chile's previous government announced last year an intention to expropriate the property and provide compensation to existing owners as part of plans to establish a memorial.
Approximately 100 people remain resident in the settlement. In recent years, local businesses have attempted to attract visitors by promoting the site's green fields and views of nearby snow-capped mountains.
The foreign ministry spokesperson said the matter will be raised at the next German-Chilean joint commission meeting, which normally takes place within a few months, indicating a diplomatic channel for follow-up discussions.
Context and next steps - The German statement signals continued diplomatic interest in preserving plans for a memorial. Chile's reported reconsideration, attributed to financial constraints by the housing minister, sets up a bilateral discussion to clarify the new government's intentions and the feasibility of the expropriation and compensation scheme announced previously.