Wednesday, 1 June 2011

Santiago, Chile – Chilean anarchist comrade seriously wounded by a bomb explosion
culmineJune 1, 2011 – On the night of June 1, 2011 a bomb exploded in front of a branch of Banco Santander, in the heart of Santiago of Chile
The premature explosion of the bomb seriously injured one of the two comrades that was placing it. The Chilean anarchist Luciano Pitronello Schuffeneger was conducted to the Hospital de Urgence Asistencia Pública (Central). His condition is very serious: he lost both hands, serious wounds to the face with vision loss, burns on different parts of the body. He is in intensive care.
Police sources report that the bomb consisted of a 1 kg extinguisher filled with gunpowder and activated by a clockwork mechanism connected to a slow-burning fuse.
The Carabineros are looking the other comrade, who fled after the explosion, while we hear news of a first house raid.
We will follow the developments of the whole affair closely.
With pain and rage,
Culmine, 1 June 2011.



We bring the heartbreaking news that Luciano “Tortuga” Pitronello Schuffeneger was gravely injured during an action involving an explosive device. During the early hours of Wednesday, June 1, Luciano Tortuga was placing the device outside of a bank while it was unoccupied before the start of the day, and the device prematurely exploded. He lost his vision and one of his hands. Luciano is in critical condition, and he may also have his arms amputated.



Chile: Anarchist injured in action involving explosive device

Comrades,

We bring the heartbreaking news that Luciano “Tortuga” Pitronello Schuffeneger was gravely injured during an action involving an explosive device.

During the early hours of Wednesday, June 1, Luciano Tortuga was placing the device outside of a bank while it was unoccupied before the start of the day, and the device prematurely exploded. He lost his vision and one of his hands. Luciano is in critical condition, and he may also have his arms amputated.

The incident comes in the wake of a long investigation by the Chilean state, which the press has declared “Caso Bombas.” Fourteen anarchists were charged with conspiracy in connection to the wave of non-lethal explosive attacks. Many of the fourteen comrades spent almost a year in detention during a period of investigation. As the prosecution was unable to provide any real evidence, the comrades were placed on house arrest while the case was brought to trial.

An anarchist combatant, Mauricio Morales, died during an action involving an explosive device on May 22, 2009. Both Mauri and Luciano, remind us that the conflict is beyond guilt and innocence. The fourteen anarchists are not being tried in the “Caso Bombas” for their presumed guilt. If the Chilean state had solid evidence, the case would have ended long ago. Instead, the comrades are facing charges to punish our entire community.

There are those who would have us believe that the domination of the state would simply wither away by changing our social relationships. Community spaces are crucial to support ourselves; however, capital is built on a regime of violence. People with power will not allow it to simply wither away. We are at war.

We defend Mauri and Luciano, because they are our combatants. We defend the fourteen anarchists charged in the “Caso Bombas,” because they are a part of our community. They are not being charged for specific actions, but instead for their ideas and militancy.

Solidarity with Tortuga!
Immediate freedom for the fourteen anarchist comrades!
Long live Mauri!

Communiqué from Liberación Total:

Solidarity with the comrade Luciano “Tortuga,” injured in action against the system

The early and abrupt beginning of the day brought us a deep blow as we learned that a comrade was gravely injured and in the hands of police after prematurely installing an explosive device. The action was an attack on a symbol of society based on exploiting life in exchange for money and subjugation—a bank.

As expected, the press had a feast looking for images to transmit, among mourning family members and friends. The members of the press have a morbid ability to convert everything into news; they get in the way at every moment to take a photo that will make their name known to the vultures. This will not be forgotten.

There are those who will ask: What brings a young person to risk their life in an action such as this, only to affirm their convictions and ideas? Without a doubt to the majority, this hardly matters, because they are afraid to risk the little that they have The majority live in submission to the machinery of work and consumption. They are comfortable in the life as spectators where they see that others are worse off, and this calms and comforts them.

Luciano Tortuga, like the comrade liked to be called, is a young person who made one of the most difficult decisions, one that many criticize and few are able to step up and act upon—a decision to engage in direct action against the machinery of domination.

Animals and the earth are murdered under the same idea that everything is part of the marketplace, a world where everyday is more artificial and controlled by the powerful. In his daily life, the comrade did regular things like a have vegan diet, reject consumerism, and spread ideas through publications. He is a warrior in self-determination, never a solider who followed orders.

The pain in our hearts is inevitable at this moment. The comrade is injured with an uncertain future. The walls of the hospital are his cage, accompanied by mercenaries (cops) who are waiting to take advantage of the situation. Two years from the death of Mauri (anarchist combatant who died in action) another accident brings us a blow, while the prosecutors divide us in an empty investigation.

The call is to stay attentive and not leave the comrade alone. It should be known that Tortuga is not alone, because independent of knowing him or not, the wild sprit and desire for total liberation bring us together.

Tortuga, our hears are with you.
Silence will shelter the traitors, direct solidarity with the comrade.

Revenge for Mauri and Tortuga.

-Rebels at war-



BREAKING: Santiago, Chile: Comrade wounded by explosion of bomb at bank

This morning we woke up to tragic news for the anti-authoritarian and anarchist and revolution: Luciano Pitronella was wounded in the explosion of a bomb, which according to the media he was placing in a bank located at Victoria and Vicuña Mackena in Santiago at around 2:25 in the morning today [June 1st]; this is causing a huge media frenzy as he would be the second person seriously affected by an explosive device, noting that it has been two years since comrade Mauricio Morales died, and also due to the present “bombs case” media frenzy, which at this very moment the prosecutor is linking him with; also it is known by very close sources (liberacion total) that the comrade belongs to the anti-system tendency; Luciano Pitronello Schuffenegeral also known as “the turtle” was transferred to the Public Assistance Emergency Hospital (Posta Central) and at this very moment according to the latest news of 1:30 pm would be in serious condition with perhaps total loss of vision, amputation of arms, and burns on his body and on his face; at this very moment he is struggling between life and death. From this space of diffusion [meaning the viva...! blog], greetings to the comrade’s loved ones and affinities, who must be finding themselves destroyed by this news, strength to them.

We hope to have news from that region to find out what Luciano’s condition is. Strength, Luciano!

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sent as a comment: he was transferred to a clinic where he remains interned in the critical care unit for his serious condition, but the clinic has a ban on giving any information about his state of health.

they have the power to play with life and death, but the ideals are stronger than death……

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Miercoles 1 de Junio – extraido de la prensa

June 1st – taken from the press


Santiago – A youth of 22 years lost his hands and remains in serious condition after the premature explosion of a bomb that he intended to place in the early hours of today in a bank branch in Santiago, Chile, according to police sources.

The incident occured at 2:25 this morning outside of a branch of Santander Bank located at the corner of Vicuña Mackenna and Victoria streets in the center of Santiago.

Witnesses reported seeing two individuals close to the branch to which they arrived on a motorcycle.

A taxi driver related to Emol [press] “after feeling the explosion I saw someone leaving the bank in flames. (He) walked into the middle of the street where he hit the pavement asking for help because he was burning.”

Then, he added, “a bus driver who was just passing by stopped and took an extinguisher with powder to put out the flames that he had on his clothes, while the youth, who was all bloody, asked to be taken to a hospital.”

The detonation also caused serious damages in the front of the bank branch and remains of the victim’s fingers were left scattered in front of it.

The youth was identified by the police as Luciano Pitronello Schuffeneger (22), who was transferred to the Posta Central, where it was found that the explosion had caused the amputation of both of his hands, as well as vision loss and burns on his face and torso.

The prosecutor in charge of the case, Héctor Barros, told journalists that Pitronello has links to anarchist groups and that in 2009 he lived in a “case Okupa” [squat] where there were arrested some suspects of bomb attacks.

The bomb that caused him the injuries consisted of an extinguisher filled with black powder, similar to others that have exploded in the past few years in Santiago and other cities in Chile, according to the police, who believed that Pitronello made an error in activating the watch mechanism that was supposed to made the device explode.

Last year there were arrested 14 suspected authors of the attacks, all of whom are presently on provisional release or house arrest, after staging a prolonged hunger strike in prison and denouncing that they are the victims of a frame-up.