The Municipality of Viña del Mar and several religious organizations have condemned an act of vandalism targeting the statue of the Virgin Stella Maris, popularly known as the Black Madonna. The incident came to light after a photograph circulated on social media, showing a man perched on the base of the religious figure.
The individual has been identified as Danilo Vidal, an evangelical pastor from the Forestal Alto neighborhood. In the image, the man is seen posing on the structure located on Avenida Borgoño while pointing a metal object toward the sacred image, according to reports from biobiochile.cl.
Viña del Mar municipal authorities strongly condemned the action. Local officials stated that the monument is a space respected by the community, regardless of religious belief. The municipality announced it will provide all relevant evidence and security camera footage to pursue and penalize the perpetrator, and will also increase security patrols in the area.
Religious institutions voice disapproval
Representatives from the Baptist Church, the Anglican Church, and the Diocese of Valparaíso also expressed their disapproval. These institutions stated that such acts constitute a lack of respect for places of worship and undermine coexistence between different faith traditions.
Councilman José Tomás Bartolucci noted that the incident does not represent the evangelical religion, but rather stems from the fanaticism of certain individuals. “This is a criminal act typical of a religious fanatic, but it has nothing to do with the respect with which the evangelical people practice their faith. This is a pastor who, like some others, approaches religion with fanaticism,” the councilman stated, as reported by biobiochilechile.cl.
Bartolucci also expressed hope that the city's new video surveillance systems will allow for the timely detection of such incidents. Meanwhile, Councilman Andrés Solar criticized the action, warning that acts of this nature cannot be normalized, especially when carried out by religious leaders.
Other local authorities are expected to issue statements regarding the incident, which has deeply impacted the local community.
