Pedro Edmunds Paoa

Pedro Pablo Petero Edmunds Paoa (born 1 July 1961) is a Chilean politician. He serves as mayor of Easter Island Commune. He was previously the Governor of the Easter Island Province from March 2010 to August 2010.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Edmunds and the second or maternal family name is Paoa.
Pedro Pablo Edmunds Paoa
Mayor of Easter Island
Assumed office
6 December 2012
Preceded byLuz Zasso Paoa
In office
1994 – 6 December 2008
Preceded byAlberto Hotus Chávez
Succeeded byLuz Zasso Paoa
Governor of Easter Island (Rapa Nui)
In office
March 2010 – August 2010
Preceded byMelania Carolina Hotu Hey
Succeeded byCarmen Cardinali Paoa
Personal details
Born (1961-07-01) 1 July 1961
Easter Island, Chile
Nationality Chilean
Political partyProgressive Party
ProfessionPolitician

His first term as mayor of Easter Island was between 1994 and 2008, and he was member of the Christian Democratic Party. Currently he is member of the Progressive Party.

He is a supporter of the island autonomy from Valparaíso region, saying this would allow islanders to handle the problems locally rather than rely on an official "more than 4000 kilometers and you do not know the island".[1]

Secede from Chile

His appointment as Easter Island governor sparked protests from indigenous Polynesians on the island, who feared he planned land deals. In response the "Rapa Nui Parliament", a group of indigenous Polynesians, occupied government buildings, demanded Paoa's resignation and wrote to the Pacific Islands Forum saying they wanted to secede from Chile.[2] Edmunds resigned from office in early August 2010.[3][4] He was temporarily replaced by Jorge Miranda, a lawyer, as interim governor following his resignation.[4] Edmunds' permanent successor, Carmen Cardinali, was appointed Governor in September 2010.[5]

In 2015, being the mayor of Easter Island at the time, Paoa once again ran into problems with the Rapa Nui Parliament when they took control over the island and its archaeology.[6] The situation still hasn't been solved.

References
  1. Pascuenses claman por autonomia (Article in Spanish), El Mercurio, 6 September 2004
  2. Easter Island's indigenous leaders want to sever link with Chile, The Guardian, 13 August 2010
  3. Easter Island's governor quits ahead of push to join Oceania, Radio Australia News, 17 August 2010
  4. "Gobernador de Isla de Pascua presentó su renuncia al cargo". Radio Cooperativa. 9 August 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  5. "Carmen Cardinali es la nueva gobernadora de Isla de Pascua". Radio Cooperativa. 9 August 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  6. "Easter Island closed down by Rapa Nui Parliament". Easter Island Travel. 26 March 2015.
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