Witchcraft Fuels Legal Complaints In Chile

Chile’s southern island of Chiloé is more than just physically isolated from mainland Chile, and its residents continue to mix Catholic teachings with the pagan beliefs of their ancestors. Mothers on the island routinely tie red ribbons on their babies’ arms to avoid the “evil eye” of potential enemies, and these superstitious beliefs are now entering the island’s court system.

In the past three years, fifteen lawsuits have been filed in Chiloé against practitioners of “black magic,” most of them filed since Chile’s recent judicial reforms made it easier to file personal lawsuits.

Daniel Alvarado, the chief judge in the island’s capital city of Castro, said that the court does not take the lawsuits seriously, no matter how strong the beliefs of those who file them. “We don’t consider the lawsuits real,” he said. “Although we respect these peoples’ culture and beliefs, witchcraft is not a crime. Our court is based on scientific fact.” Full Story

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