Chile's National Monuments Council is facing criticism for prioritizing technical standards over public participation in the protection of the nation's historical legacy. According to an analysis by Hernán Riquelme Brevis, originally published on elmostrador.cl, the institution is following a pattern where expert opinion overrides social validation.
Riquelme Brevis, director of the Master's program in Heritage and Tourism at Universidad Autónoma de Chile, maintains that heritage designation processes in the country often bypass the consultative stage. The expert warns that this dynamic sidelines public demand in favor of technical assessments.
The challenge of intangible heritage
Managing historical memory requires integrating the voices of the communities that keep traditions alive. The specialist asserts that "what we inherit is not neutral, but rather responds to the political and social will of a specific era."
For the academic, intangible heritage requires a safeguarding approach that actively involves the groups that give it meaning. Currently, a paradox exists in the protection of Chilean traditions, as the very groups that transmit them lack any real influence over protection decisions.
This lack of representation affects sectors that have been historically excluded from cultural decision-making. Riquelme Brevis proposes expanding the debate to ensure that heritage management is truly inclusive and reflects the diversity of the national identity.
